Last April, Nokia debuted its mobile billing service in Indonesia to make it easier for consumers to purchase apps from the Nokia Store by allowing them to pay using their phone credits. The scheme was launched with three operators, Telkomsel, XL, and Indosat.
Starting today, Nokia customers in Indonesia will be able to purchase apps using credit cards. As posted by Widi Asmoro on his blog, credit card support has been granted for app purchases on Nokia Store in Indonesia. He also said that Nokia Store accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club, and JCB.
Payment is an important aspect, not just for consumers who wish to purchase apps especially those that have no free or ad-supported versions, but also to developers who rely on app sales. Phone credit deduction is especially important considering the low adoption of credit cards in Indonesia [and the overwhelming use of prepaid cards -Ed]. The simplicity of this system can be a boon for consumers who want to go beyond free apps.
Unfortunately the range of apps that are qualified to be purchased using the mobile billing system is limited as apps that cost more than Rp 20,000 cannot be purchased using this method. The introduction of the credit card option will surely break down that barrier and allow more costly apps to be purchased.
From the perspective of consumers, having this option will certainly add to their experience in using Nokia Store and may just open the door to other implementations across the ecosystem, such as an expansion of the six-month download period for Nokia Music perhaps? Let’s see how far Nokia is willing to implement this new payment option. I’ve contacted Nokia Indonesia for further information and will update this news as soon as we receive them.