Third-party application store GetJar has released a “gold” service that will enable users to download premium Android applications for free. GetJar Gold is designed to give consumers access to apps they would otherwise have to pay for while increasing visibility for developers that may be seeing sluggish sales in the Android Market.
GetJar Gold is akin to what Amazon is doing with its Android application store. The Amazon Appstore features a premium Android app a day and is supposed to share the revenue made from downloads with developers. This has been a controversial program for Amazon and its relationship with developers has suffered. Can GetJar’s pay-per-download model pull it off?
GetJar generates revenue through its PPD system, promising developers visibility in exchange for providing their apps for free. The current crop of premium apps for Android available through GetJar Gold are Age of Zombies, TuneIn Radio Pro, Solo, Paper Glider and Splashtop Remote Desktop.
“We think this is something great that GetJar is doing and we’re excited to be a part of it,” said TuneIn Radio CEO Bill Moore said in GetJar’s press release. “The industry has realized that what consumers want are premium apps without cost, but how to make it sustainable has been the big question. GetJar has developed a business model to make free apps work.”
Recent history has proved that there is nothing consumers like more than something that was once expensive made free (or very cheap). Look at the HP TouchPad’s fire sale. Amazon itself is going to try and capture the hearts and minds of consumers with a reportedly $250 Android tablet, of which its free app of the day program will likely be featured prominently.
“We are able to develop programs like GetJar Gold because of our open and free business model,” said Ilja Laurs, CEO and founder of GetJar. “We regret that at this time we cannot extend our program to iPhone users, as Apple runs a closed ecosystem that does not allow for competing app distributors like GetJar. Unfortunately, iPhone users will have to continue paying for the very same apps that their Android counterparts enjoy for free.”
Developers: are you going to contribute to GetJar Gold? What benefits do you see from the program? Is the visibility and access to the app enough to offset potential loss of download revenue? Let us know in the comments.
