Google launches subscription service for select apps and games
Service called Google Play Pass is priced at $4.99 a month
Alphabet Inc's Google said on Monday it is rolling out Google Play Pass, a subscription service that gives Android users access to more than 350 apps and games without ads and in-app purchases.
Priced at $4.99 (Dh18.33) per month, the service is similar to Apple Inc's Apple Arcade, the iPhone maker's gaming subscription service for mobile devices and desktop computers.
"The Play Pass collection spans hundreds of titles, from games that help you unwind to apps that power productivity," Google product manager Austin Shoemaker said in an online post.
"Play Pass is coming to Android devices in the US this week, and we'll be bringing it to additional countries soon."
Some of the game titles included in the launch will be Terraria, Monument Valley, Risk and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
It will also include apps such as Accuweather which are free of in-app purchases, upfront payments or advertising.
Google said it will add new games and apps to the service each month. The internet giant also enticed people with a temporary offer to let them subscribe at a reduced price for the first year.
"Play Pass helps encourage people to try new experiences they would not have otherwise," said Maria Sayans, chief executive of Monument Valley maker Ustwo games.
Play Pass was announced just days after the launch of Apple Arcade, which rides a trend of video games played by subscribers instead of purchased as downloads or disks.
Apple Arcade offers unlimited access for a flat monthly price to more than 100 exclusive games uninterrupted by ads or the hawking of virtual goods.
Arcade, and now Play Pass, fit into a subscription model that is gaining traction, according to analysts.
Google's Play Pass will be available on Android devices in the United States this week and will be rolled out to additional countries soon, the company said in a blog post. The service, which will have new apps and games added every month, has a 10-day free-trial period and will be priced at $1.99 per month for a year for a limited time.