Google to roll out more Android Market enhancements in Q1 2011 including in-app purchases

Can you hear that? That is the sound of the word "Finally" being cheered throughout the developer community, especially regarding the Android gaming sector, as Google announced a few new enhancements coming out way in the first quarter of 2011. The major one is the ability to allow in-app purchases.

Game developers, especially of the Freemium variety, have been waiting for this for a long time and, quite honestly, this should have been in place a long time ago. Instead developers have had to use work-arounds to offer this sort of feature which can be a royal pain in the ass for both the developer and the gamer.

Why the sudden change? Google is concerned with the onslaught of free apps and games killing the market economy as users expect more often then not that what they download should be free. This all came to light at the Inside Social Apps conference where platform manager Eric Chu discussed Google's disappointment at the current amount of apps/games being purchased.

Other notable enhancements coming in Q1 of 2011 as well include:

• Expanding carrier billing to more carriers. AT&T and T-Mobile are currently the only ones with carrier billing.
• Enhance the search algorithm to make it easier to find what you're looking for on the Android Market. Honestly, this shouldn't have even be an issue considering this is Google we are talking about here.
• Eliminate apps that violate the Market Terms of Service.

So we should start seeing an onslaught of great Freemium games heading our way thanks to the ability to have in-app purchases native to the Android Market now. This particular feature will be launched 'imminently'. Better late than never right?

Website Referenced: Forbes via PocketGamer