For many mobile games publishers, Android won't really kick off until early next year, when Google allows them to charge for their games in the Android Market store.
However, some publishers (and many developers) will be offering free games when Android Market goes live later this month. And it seems they'll have a sizeable audience of downloaders when it does.
Financial site The Motley Fool is claiming that T-Mobile USA has pre-sold around 1.5 million of its G1 handsets the first Android phone in advance of their launch on October 22nd. What's more, it claims another two million will be available in-store on launch day.
If true, it's a very strong start for Google's new mobile OS, and will ensure a big audience on day one looking for apps to download.
The decision of big firms like Glu and Namco to release free games rather than wait to sell titles in January might have raised eyebrows, but the strategy makes more sense in the light of the strong pre-orders.
It'll be intriguing to see what free games indie developers come up with in the early days of Android Market too, though.
News
Contributing Editor
Stuart is a freelance journalist and blogger who's been getting paid to write stuff since 1998. In that time, he's focused on topics ranging from Sega's Dreamcast console to robots. That's what you call versatility. (Or a short attention span.)
Top Stories
News
7 hours, 2 minutes ago
PocketGamer.biz Podcast Week in Mobile Games E14 -Supercell's Squad Busters goes global and why Steam does discoverability better than mobile
News
May 31st, 2024
Week in Views - Squad Busters goes global, broken app stores, and Hill Climb Racing gets the LEGO treatment
News
May 31st, 2024
Mobile Movers: All the latest appointments and job moves from around the industry
Events
Indie Game Fest & Indie Campus 2024 | Europe | May 31st |
Indie Craft K-Game Festival 2024 | Europe | May 31st |
BostonFig Online 2024 | Jun 1st | |
GameSummit Summer 2024 | Jun 1st | |
Gotland Game Conference 2024 | Nordic | Jun 3rd |
Games Mental Health Summit 2024 | Europe | Jun 3rd |
Dev Play Conference 2024 | Europe | Jun 3rd |
Tribeca Games Festival 2024 | North America | Jun 5th |