One feature that Apple and it’s App Store have had for a while now is in app purchases. This feature allows users to download additional content while staying inside the application and without ever having to go to the App Store for these downloads. This can be useful more a number of applications such as downloading additional exams for quiz applications or additional levels for mobile video games. While this feature has been a huge success on the iOS platform (iPhone and iPad), it has seemingly been absent on the Android platform. Google has realized this and they are working to make a change in their platform regarding this area.

Enter Android Honeycomb (Android 3.0). Honeycomb has a number of Android Market related changes, including a Market website which allows users to browse the Android Market from their home computer and download apps to their phone with a click of a button. One of these changes however is indeed in app purchases. It’s not all cut and dry for Android though. Unfortunately, Honeycomb will only be available to tablet devices, not smartphones. Will smartphone users be left out in the cold for in app purchases? In a word, no. Android Ice Cream Sandwich (yes, you read that correctly), or going by version numbers, Android 2.4, will include a number of changes that Honeycomb introduces, in app purchases included. Android 2.4 is set for release sometime around March 2011 so smartphone users need not worry. Soon all Android users will have the in app purchase glory that iPhone and iPad users have been enjoying for almost two years now.