Do you secretly wish you could leave the comfort of home, jump in your car and drive to a vending machine all in the name of downloading some of your favorite Android games? Me neither, but that's not stopping Google from installing three unique app vending machines in front of the Parco department store in Shibuya, Tokyo. The new app vending machines will offer up a total of 18 titles, a mixture of free and premium games.
What’s the purpose of an Android game vending machine? We suppose that folks who are opposed to using a credit card online could find this handy, though 18 apps sure keeps your selection limited. Additionally, a machine like this could maybe be good for those with limited data plans.
In all honesty though, this is really on of those “because you can” ideas, with little practicality. Still, it could be a fun gimmick, and a unique way to further promote the Google Play store and Android ecosystem in Japan.
At least initially, the machines will be manned by Google Employees and will even allow folks to try out a Nexus 4 with the machine – though they will obviously have to give back the phone when they are done.
For those wondering how the machine works, it simply requires an NFC-capable Android device with Android 4.0 or higher. You put in the money, choose an app and then place the phone on a tray that uses NFC to complete the app transfer.
This is certainly an interesting concept, and one that will probably do well in Japan. We doubt these machines will ever make their way outside of Japan, but if they did, would you be interested in trying one out?
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