Heeding customer calls, Google Play gift cards are here

Prepare to see a lot of Google Play gift cards as stocking stuffers
Prepare to see a lot of Google Play gift cards as stocking stuffers

Google is finally introducing a much-requested feature to the Google Play store: gift cards.

Support for gift cards was first found by the site Android Police after hacking the latest version 3.8.15 update to the Google Play store.

Confirmation then came in the form of leaked images of the actual gift cards on Android Central.

The images show gift card denominations for $10 and $25, clearly branded with the Google Play logo and stating that they can be used on "music, movies, books, apps & more."

Google's gift to teens

Gift cards are a significant step that should help bolster the Android marketplace.

Until now, a credit card was required of anyone who wanted to purchase something from the Google Play store.

That credit card requirement is a pretty big hurdle for a segment of Android users, most notably younger Android users who would otherwise have to ask their parents every time they want to buy a new app or video.

The two major questions still remain for where and when the gift cards will arrive, as they have yet to show up at any retailers.

But with the 3.8.15 update rolling out and providing support for gift cards, expect to see them show up on gift card racks in convenience stores in the not-so-distant future.

Via Android Police and Android Central