In March 2013, PayPal unveiled a new mobile SDK for third-party developers to help integrate payment services into their apps. Starting February 24, PayPal is opening up its SDK to the global community, giving developers in 30 markets the ability to download and integrate payment features into their mobile apps.
The PayPal SDK is designed to work with both iOS and Android applications. A company spokesperson tells us that this tool does not include any integrations with Braintree, the peer-to-peer payment company it acquired in 2013, or StackMob, the platform-as-a-service startup that it’s shuttering later this year.
John Lunn, PayPal’s global director of developer relations, says that the mobile SDK will offer three key features for developers. The first of which will prevent users from having to repeatedly log into their PayPal account when paying for goods or services. Secondly, the SDK offers a more native experience with its checkout process — it now becomes a part of the app and not something that transports users to another screen or browser. Lastly, apps can accept more than just one form of payment — customers can pay using credit cards or PayPal accounts with a simple integration process.
This is the latest effort by PayPal to streamline its payment capabilities so that developers will find it appealing. And while it counts 143 million active accounts, it’s still facing stiff competition from the likes of Square, Dwolla, and Stripe, all of which are vying for the attention of developers. PayPal has been working on bolstering its developer support system, including merging its team with Braintree, migrating a few of its APIs to REST, and even redesigning its developer site and sandbox to help developers find the documentation and resources they need.
Over the past few months, the company has been testing out its SDK with numerous partners, including private transportation technology company Uber. Now integrated into its mobile apps, Uber users can opt to pay with their PayPal account. This was only available in five select markets, but starting on Monday, that program will grow to include the UK too.
If you want to check out the new mobile SDK, you can download it from PayPal’s developer site starting February 24.
Photo credit: ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images
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