PayPal Courting Developers

It started last Tuesday when Markus forwarded an email he received from PayPal. The subject line sent me into a nice long peal of laughter. “Developers: Get Rich or Die Trying”, it read. As funny as PayPal using a 50 Cent reference was, what PayPal is offering is very intriguing. According to the email, the popular e-commerce business is extending an invitation to developers with a creative streak and an entrepreneurial spirit to sign up for the PayPal X Developer Network.

PayPal will soon be giving developers access to its API and code so they can start creating applications for its upcoming app store. I know what you’re thinking, “Why in the world do we need yet another store?” But think about it. Every piece of tech under the sun is starting to get its own set of dedicated apps. Phones, TVs, printers, even auto makers are beginning to make the first tentative steps into the app game. PayPal is hoping to differentiate itself from the crowd by becoming an “open platform for payments that will get embedded into every other platform.”

That’s right. PayPal is no longer content with developers linking with external sites for checkout functionality. They want a piece of that sweet mobile transaction pie that Apple, Nokia, and others have been enjoying. Osama Bedier, vice president of PayPal’s Platforms and Product Development, forsees a future where we’ll be using our smartphones to pay for everything from dry cleaning to rent and he sees developers as the key.

“I want developers to think of PayPal first whenever they hear the word ‘payments’ and I want to know what it will take to get there. We’re willing to do it. We’re willing to innovate and experiment on their behalf and hear their feedback,” he said.

PayPal is currently running a beta version of its Mobile Payments system that allows developers to tack on payment functionality onto iPhone apps. Hmm, I wonder how long this state of events will go unnoticed by Apple. We all know how tight they can be with the app store rules and regulations. The bigger question is how this grand experiment will pan out. So far trying to conduct credit card transactions via mobile device is more hassle than helper. Nonetheless, PayPal sees a future where the wallet lives in the cloud and its making moves to make its dream a reality.

About the Author
Sherri is a freelance writer that has a love of all things fun and geeky including gadgets, gaming, anime, and comics. When she isn't writing or out on the town living it up, she loves doing 10-12 hour marathon sessions on her Xbox 360 or one of her older consoles. It's not an addiction, it's a way of life!
See all posts by Sherri L. Smith.