Angry Birds Creator Reveals Cross-Carrier Mobile Payment System

Angry Birds developer Rovio announced the upcoming launch of "Bad Piggy Bank," a payment system facilitating the purchase of mobile phone apps and in-app purchases across multiple carriers and handsets. Bad Piggy Bank aims to provide a "one-touch payment" option for mobile gaming consumers, eliminating the need for sign-ups or the entering of credit card information. Instead, Bad Piggy Bank purchases will be recorded on a user's monthly phone bill. The Bad Piggy Bank service will launch next year, pending carrier support for the plan. Rovio notes that participating members will receive a share of revenue from each purchase that is "much, much better for developers than current app store models." Angry Birds has been downloaded more than 50 million times for Android and iOS devices, with the Android version proving particularly popular following its launch as an ad-supported free download. A premium, ad-free Android version of Angry Birds will debut alongside the launch of the Bad Piggy Bank service. Rovio recently expanded the franchise's presence in the iTunes App Store with the launch of Angry Birds Seasons, which features a variety of new Halloween and Christmas-themed levels.