Just a day after Apple's app subscription plan threw publishers into a frenzy, Google has countered Apple's offering by unveiling their own plan: Google One Pass.
One Pass is Google's payment model for app sales, one where "publishers have flexibility over payment models and control over the digital content for which they charge and the content that is free for consumers," according to Google.
One Pass uses Google Checkout, and allows publishers to sell subscriptions at the lengths they choose, or by single issues, as well as according to metered models where more frequent visitors or those looking for premium content could be charged more than more casual customers. It also lets current subscribers access through a "coupon-based system" utilizing customer codes. Apple's policy requires publishers to match the prices of their in-store app subscriptions to their digital subscription offerings elsewhere.
Google does not list their revenue split on the One Pass page. Contacted for comment, the company noted that "the tool is free to implement, and publishers receive the majority of revenue on each transaction, in the range of 90%." The percentage represents a significant increase from Apple's system, which requires publishers to give Apple 30 percent cut of in-system app subscriptions.
According to the Financial Times, Google, unlike Apple, will allow publishers access to user data.
"Google cares a lot about helping high quality content thrive online and about the future of journalism," Google said in a statement. And though Apple emphasized that all kinds of content--music, video and more--would be subject to the system, Google notes that "Google One Pass is currently intended for periodicals, such as news and magazines, but is a flexible payment system that can be used for many other types of content."
Watch Google's short ad for One Pass below: