One of the most positive developments for mobile app developers has been the growth of in-app purchasing. Research suggests apps that feature purchasing generate greater revenues. The key to making it work is a micropayments system that links an app to customer bank details in some way. Developers and merchants have increasingly benefited from mobile payments over platforms like Facebook.
Today, we’re launching an in-app Payment API that will enable BlueVia developers to do the same using operator billing.
Tracking the growth of in-app purchasing
There is plenty of evidence that in-app payments can supercharge revenue growth. The app market is growing fast. IDC reckons the mobile app market will exceed $35 billion by 2014. But it’s the growth of in-app purchasing that is really eye-catching. On the iPhone, for example, market analyst Distimo says there has been near threefold growth in the proportion of app revenue coming from those featuring in-app payments. A year ago, 28% of app revenue was generated by apps with in-app payments and this rose to 72% last year.
There are lots of examples of in-app payments resulting directly and transparently in greater revenue and company valuations, for example companies like Zynga through games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars. What this means for app developers, merchants and brands is that there is a strong incentive to build purchasing mechanisms into their applications.
The big questions is: what’s the best way to do this?
BlueVia’s answer to in-app payments
Today, we’re announcing the launch of in-app payments with our micropayment platform partner BOKU. From today, you can go to the BlueVia website and access the Payment API. As a developer, this will enable you to use BOKU’s bank-grade mobile payments technology and integrate it into your apps.
How BOKU payments help developers
BOKU presents app developers and merchants with a single contract, a single API and a single set of rules. As a result, developers will be able to implement in-app purchasing within minutes.
The BlueVia Payment API makes it easier for developers to make money. It gives them a simpler way to bill customers and open up markets that don’t currently have access to credit cards or other payment capabilities.
It’s another important milestone for BlueVia, and one we hope to see embraced by our developer community. If you have ideas, questions or feedback about our Payment API, please share them with us and other developers either via the comment section below, or our developer support forum.
[...] Global wireless carrier Telefonica is looking to build a massive app store of its own, tapping BOKU to aid in the effort. [...]