Can PayPal provide a universal solution to the problem of monetising mobile games and apps?

Nope, it's unlikely to be added to Apple's App Store anytime soon. But aside from that marketplace, it would seem to be in the vanguard of mobile activity.

Indeed, the eBay owned company has already made plenty of moves, being integrated into stores such as Android Market - including for in-app purchases - and BlackBerry App World.

It also offers clients for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices, enabling users to directly access their PayPal accounts via the mobile internet.

Mobile wallet

The company's second developer conference has underlined the wider importance of mobile payments as a significant corporate growth area.

From recording around $25 million in mobile payments in 2008, it expects to process more than $700 million by the end of 2010, giving it a scale no other payment system can yet compete with.

PayPal's also announced Mobile Express Checkout, which is a secure two click checkout system.

This lets users remain logged in across apps to make purchasing faster. Beta clients already using the solution include Starbucks.

It will add the ability to accept guest payments using credit cards in spring 2011 too, while preapproved payments for subscriptions, as well as chain and split payments to enable a cut of transactions between buyers and sellers, are in the process of being added.

And integrating such technology directly into app stores, particularly underdeveloped, and open ones such as Android Market, could create a massive win-win for both PayPal and mobile developers.

[source: PayPal]