Android phones may also ride the surge in mobile virtual goods sales, but the platform will need to do a better job of luring gamers and game developers first.

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Facebook makes its money primarily through display advertising, but also facilitates the purchase of virtual goods in games and applications running on its platform through Facebook Credits, a virtual currency.

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Instead, YY generates its music revenue from virtual goods that people purchase to give to singers on the platform.

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At GSP11, Matternet was founded, which is creating a platform to use unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver goods and aid in developing countries.

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But it also takes a slice of the sales of digital tractors, swords and other virtual goods in games run by Zynga and others that use Facebook's platform to reach customers.

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