Google Announces One Pass Payment System

eldavojohn writes "Riding the tail of Apple's 30% announcement, Google's Eric Schmidt has announced One Pass, a new method for users to pay for content. The BBC is reporting that Google is taking a 10% cut. One Pass will work on Google sites and on phones and tablets as the announcement notes: 'Readers who purchase from a One Pass publisher can access their content on tablets, smartphones and websites using a single sign-on with an email and password. Importantly, the service helps publishers authenticate existing subscribers so that readers don't have to re-subscribe in order to access their content on new devices.' This is to be handled through Google Checkout."

Comments

Google Checkout?

[Anonymous Coward]

You mean the payment system that's only available to businesses in about three countries and completely useless to the rest of the world?

Who the customer is...

[Space cowboy]

The big difference for me between Apple's and Google's approach isn't the 30% / 10% - that can be changed by either party in either direction at any time. The freakin' huge difference is in the user-privacy settings.

• Apple make the user specifically opt-in on a case-by-case basis for letting the publisher grab hold of your name & zip-code
• Google by default send your name, zip-code, email address to the publisher.

In Google's eyes, you are the product they are selling to the customer (the publisher). In Apple's eyes, you are the customer. I know which I prefer.

Simon

Re:Who the customer is...

[geekoid]

Because I don't want you to know I am reading your publication, for what ever reason. Maybe I don't want people knowing I subscribe to 2600, or high times, or Visual Basic magazine... especially not Visual Basic Magazine.

Just because you sell me something doesn't mean you have the right to my information.