Android market gets paid apps: good or bad news?

Since the launch of the T-Mobile G1 late last year, theAndroid Market (the Google phones answer to Apples app store) has hosted some intriguing applications such as the much publicised and highly praised Barcode scanner. Those of you who took the plunge with the HTCGoogle phone have been the envy of iPhone enthusiasts, enjoying a wealth of downloadable applications absolutely free. But all that is about to change with the announcement that softare developers will now be able to charge for downloaded content. Though it was already possible to fork out your hard earned cash for certain applications, the official shop front of the Android market has only ever offered free downloads. The best applications have, up until this point, been free but all this is about to change.

But before you sulk and discard your precious T-Mobile G1, consider the positives. The Apple App store has been charging for content since day one and has seen some of the most unique and innovative content ever found on a mobile phone. And i think this is in no small part to do with the monetary incentive on offer for developers to create new, exciting and of course popular apps. So the news that developers will get 70% (Google state the remaining 30% will cover server hosting costs) should encourage a new wave of creativity and innovation. Penciled in for Q1 of 2009, those of you who have been enjoying free downloads best get your fill, as time is running out. But it’s not all doom and gloom; look on the brightside and just think of the possibilities…