Google aims to strike at Apple by reaching publishers a hand

Google recently introduced the One Pass, a service that enables content providers to sell and manage subscriptions for Android apps. The service specifically targets publishers, that gain a means of providing access to their content on all kinds of platforms: tablets, smart phones and PC’s.

The largest difference with Apple’s app store subscription model is that Google does not seem to want to actively claim a part of the relationship between publishers and their readers. That One Pass is launched in a time when publishers world wide are complaining about Apple’s dominant behaviour, seems like Mountain View taking aim at Cupertino. Apple recently announced to start requiring of publishers that they offer their subscriptions via the app store, thus taking over part of the customer relations from publishers. Furthermore, Google charges a 10% commission, against Apple’s 30% commission.

One Pass appears quite versatile. Apart from access to content on multiple platforms, One Pass includes possibilities to buy access to single articles, offer print subscribers discounts for digital content and to work with freemium models.

In the Netherlands, newspaper publishers focus mainly on Apple, as th iPad does provide a very sleek platform for presenting journalistic content. However, Google’s apparent willingness to provide services better adapted to publishers’ needs, this may change. The possibility to work with a range of propositions, furthermore, could help newspaper publishers experiment with digital propositions.

One Pass is not available in The Netherlands yet. Launch is planned somewhere in the coming months.

Source: emerce (in Dutch)