Direct carrier biller Fortumo today announced it has launched a new version of its Android in-app purchasing SDK for app stores. The new SDK can process payments even when users are not connected to the Internet, according to a press release.

Fortumo’s patented in-app purchasing SDK is a leading payment product for alternative Android app stores, according to the announcement. Fortumo has established partnerships with dozens of alternative Android app stores, including device manufacturers (NOOK, ZTE, Oppo, Gionee), mobile operators (Telenor, Turkcell, Kyivstar) and third-party app store operators (Mobogenie, UCWeb, SlideME etc.). For developers using Unity, Corona, Marmalade and OpenIAB, Fortumo has created custom versions of the SDK to make integration effortless.

"Carrier billing works best in emerging markets where a large number of users do not own a credit card to make payments online," Martin Koppel, CEO of Fortumo, said in a statement. "But even when carrier billing is available, users who are not connected to the Internet have so far been unable to make payments. Fortumo’s Android SDK changes this by enabling transactions for offline users as well. This increases revenue for app stores and developers publishing in these stores even further when compared to traditional credit card based billing solutions."