TryNBuy boosting game purchases on Samsung phones

Nobody's in any doubt that embedding game demos on mobile phones and getting players to click through to buy is the most effective mobile games marketing channel.

More evidence comes from tech firm M-Biz Global, which says that 40 per cent of people who own Samsung handsets with its TryNBuy software on board are buying games, compared to 15 per cent of traditional WAP buyers.

The company's strategy focuses on embedding the TryNBuy software on 'vanilla' handsets - those sold SIM-free by manufacturers, rather than through operators.

It claims that vanilla phones account for around 30% of all handset sales. Samsung is the only manufacturer so far to be using TryNBuy on its handsets, under the name TrynPlay.

The software installs full games on users' handsets, but only lets them play a limited demo until they pay, usually via premium SMS.