Google testing Play Pass subscription with hundreds of apps and games

Google is looking to take on Apple Arcade with its Play Pass subscription service.

What you need to know

• Google Play Pass is a monthly subscription service that unlocks hundreds of premium apps and games.
• Apps and games in the catalog won't have any ads, with all in-app purchases unlocked.
• The service is currently being tested for $4.99 a month, but the final figure could change.

Evidence of a Play Store subscription service called Play Pass showed up last year, but we haven't heard much after that. The company is now starting to test the monthly subscription service, as spotted by the folks over at Android Police.

Screenshots obtained by the publication show the signup pages for Play Pass, which provides access to hundreds of premium apps and games — with no ads and in-app purchases unlocked — for $4.99 a month, with a 10-day trial:

Explore a curated catalog spanning puzzle games to premium music apps and everything in between. From action hits to puzzles and fitness trackers, with Google Play Pass you unlock access to hundreds of premium apps and games without ads, download fees or in-app purchases.

The blurb mentions premium music apps, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of apps Google bundles with Play Pass. The screenshots show Stardew Valley and Marvel Pinball as being included in the Play Pass catalog, and there's a banner that shows up to try out the service when you're browsing the Play Store listing of an app or game that's in the catalog. Android Police was able to get confirmation from Google that it is testing the subscription service.

It'll be interesting to see if the subscription model works on Android, but in the meantime, would you be willing to try out Play Pass for $4.99 a month? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

by Harish Jonnalagadda