Telstra has tonight confirmed that Google Play Store Gift Cards are indeed coming to Australia, advising Ausdroid that anyone purchasing an eligible Android handset between 2 July and 2 September 2013 will receive a $50 gift card to spend on Google Play apps, music, movies and books.
Eligible handsets include:
- HTC One and One XL
- Sony Xperia Z
- LG Optimus G
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III 4G
If you’ve purchased one of these after 2 July 2013, and before 2 September 2013, on a Telstra plan, the instructions to redeem your $50 gift card couldn’t be easier.
Simply locate your IMEI (the 15 digit number on your handset’s box) and send it as an SMS to phone number 810. Send it without spaces, dashes etc, and you’ll receive a 15 digit code back, which you can redeem at http://play.google.com/redeem.
While Google haven’t responded to a request for comment by the time of publishing, we know now that there’s clearly the infrastructure in place to offer Play Store gift cards in Australia.At the moment, we can only confirm Telstra’s giving them away to eligible handset buyers, but there’s absolutely no technical reason why Google couldn’t, if it were so minded, put these gift cards on sale tomorrow.
Will we now see Play Store gift cards available for sale alongside ubiquitous iTunes gift cards everywhere from Target to JB Hi Fi and the local supermarket? Here’s hoping so.
