In-app purchases (IAP) have become a hugely important revenue stream for developers. Love them or hate them as a consumer, they are now deeply integrated as a business model for apps and games. Indeed, Microsoft says over 90% of paid app revenue comes from IAP. The Payment Request API for Windows 10 will bring a new revenue stream to developers. Specifically, the API allows the sale of physical goods and other commerce that is now supported in the Windows Store. The solution is designed for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). It makes payments easier, allowing customers to purchase goods without needing to input payment information or select shipping methods. By improving the in-app checkout experience, customers will have a seamless buying platform. Users will need to have their payment information already set up with a Microsoft account. Once they do, check out will be more efficient and faster.
Payment Request API
Convenience is the focus of the Payment Request API as it makes payments a one click process by removing familiar checkout criteria. For example, customers will have pre-stored payment information and shipping addresses. “You can increase conversion and reduce your risk of data breaches because the payment information is tokenized,” Microsoft explains. “With the Windows 10 Creators Update, users can pay with their saved payment options freely throughout experiences in Windows including in UWP apps or on the web via the Microsoft Edge browser.” The API is based on the W3C Payment Request API spec, and can be integrated into UWP apps. The solution is available through Windows 10 OS Build and SDK version 15003. Check out the source below to see how the API can be implemented into an application.
