Summary<\/p>\n
The Google Play Store may add a “try before you buy” feature.<\/p>\n
Buying the game after the trial preserves your progress, so you can pick up where you left off.<\/p>\n
The feature appears to be games-only for now, and there’s no launch date yet.<\/p>\n
The Google Play Store may be adding an incredibly useful new feature soon. Google Play Store version 49.6.19-29 contains code that allows developers to offer trial periods for their games (via Android Authority<\/a>). Google appears to be calling the feature “try before you buy.” <\/p>\n How it works<\/p>\n As easy as one, two, free<\/p>\n “Try before you buy” works exactly like you’d expect: developers can set a trial period, and users can then access the full game experience for that period before being asked to pay. Trials appear to be limited to one per game per user, and the trial period begins when you first launch the game. <\/p>\n Crucially, Google appears to be enabling users who purchase games after a trial to pick up right where they left off. This solves one of the potential issues with separate free and paid versions of apps \u2014 data loss when switching to the paid version. This new update should make for a seamless transition between trial and full purchase, adding “try before you buy” to the list of great Play Store features<\/a>.<\/p>\n Why “try before you buy” matters<\/p>\n Google’s refund policy is… not great<\/p>\n As things stand, trying an app or game before you commit can be convoluted (if it’s possible at all). Google allows developers to offer free trials on apps with subscriptions, but for apps and games that charge a one-time fee, there’s no great solution. This is one of the many reasons users switch to alternative app stores<\/a>.<\/p>\n