The intervention by Lodsys means 'in-app purchase' is something of a dirty phrase right now, but that hasn't stopped HP announcing that webOS 3.0 on TouchPad will support the model from launch.
Via a post on on its official developer blog, the company claims it is keen to ensure studios looking to support its forthcoming tablet are free to monetise their titles as they see fit.
IAP happy
The tools to integrate IAPs will shortly be delivered in an SDK, but HP is encouraging developers to "get started" right now, creating the virtual items they intend to sell upon release before they actually employ the code.
"Starting now, were opening the doors, so to speak, allowing developers to submit their TouchPad apps to the HP webOS App Catalog," says marketing manager Sean Lindo.
"Today, if you have a registered developer account, you can log in and start creating items. The next Early Access release of the SDK will include documentation on adding in-app purchase code to your apps.
"Then, in a couple of weeks, we plan on allowing developers to formally submit in-app items for review."
Keeping up with the competition
IAPs are an important addition for HP, which is looking to attract as many developers as it can to TouchPad as it aims to serve up some genuine competition for iPad.
As such, the company has confirmed it will offer developers a 70/30 revenue split on all IAPs, putting it in line with most of the market.
However, HP is also trying to avoid alienating existing webOS developers. The majority with titles developed with Mojo or the Palm Development Kit (PDK) should run on TouchPad with little fuss.
"First, well automatically promote all Mojo apps to be available to TouchPad users in the App Catalog," adds Lindo.
"These apps will run in 'Mojo compatibility mode', a window sized for the apps original resolution, which provides a software keyboard and onscreen gesture area.
"Similarly, many current PDK apps have been tested and will be promoted to be available to TouchPad users in the App Catalog. These apps run in a 'PDK portability mode', which emulates their native environment and scales their graphics to run full-screen on the TouchPad."
The old guard
Lindo does note, however, that PDK apps that make use of gesture based inputs (employed on Palm smartphones) or an on screen keyboard won't be promoted to TouchPad users on App Catalog.
Developers that fall into this category will instead be contacted by Palm's app review team as to how to move forward.
Lindo concludes: "While we're making it as easy as we can for customers to access great Mojo and PDK apps on the TouchPad, we want developers to get started on webOS 3.0 and create great apps for the TouchPad from the ground up."
[source: HP]
News
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Top Stories
Feature
May 17th, 2024
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from a battle royale to a console classic remake
Feature
May 16th, 2024
Behind the scenes: How adding sandwich offers to an idle merge game boosted three metrics at once
Events
Valencia Indie Summit 2024 | Europe | May 16th |
Digital Dragons | Europe | May 19th |
GamesBeat Summit 2024 | North America | May 20th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Nordic Game Spring 2024 | Nordic | May 21st |
Impact 2024 - Indie Games | May 23rd | |
MomoCon 2024 | North America | May 24th |
Morocco Gaming Expo | Africa | May 24th |
Popular Stories
Feature
May 14th, 2024
53 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, Battle Guys: Royale, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Feature
May 13th, 2024
Hot Five: Dubai's new Gaming Visa, April's mobile game charts, and Xbox studio closures
Feature
May 14th, 2024