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by toyg 3690 days ago
I agree but the current model is broken. I buy FantastiCal, don't like it, I've just thrown money down the toilet. Yeah yeah you can go through iTunes and get it back but that feels like a dick move, and how many actually know the procedure anyway? It's not exactly advertised.

I throw a quid down the toilet? That's fine, I don't mind. I throw a fiver or a tenner? Woah dude, that's like, a Starbucks latte! Totally different (or not, but hey, that's what it feels like).

I wish Apple would start allowing time-limited trialware. The IAP machinery is already there, they just have to allow apps that stop working after 30 days if there is no payment. After 30 days, I have a pretty good idea whether an app is worth £1, £10, £50 or 0.
2 comments
toomuchtodo 3690 days ago
> I throw a quid down the toilet? That's fine, I don't mind. I throw a fiver or a tenner? Woah dude, that's like, a Starbucks latte! Totally different (or not, but hey, that's what it feels like).

http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps

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toyg 3690 days ago
Well spotted. Note how that strip is from 2011, it was a bit of an old joke at the time already, and nothing has changed. Or rather: app-developers now route around this perception with IAP-whaling, which makes everyone sad and doesn't really map to "real" apps anyway. A trialware model would be better for everyone.
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toomuchtodo 3690 days ago
> A trialware model would be better for everyone.

I agree.

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verroq 3690 days ago
People hate the idea of spending money and then having a bad experience. You can be reasonably sure that with a cup of coffee that it won't be completely terrible, if you have a bad experience you can ask them to brew you a new one. With apps it is a lot more hoops to jump for a less certain outcome.
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gcb0 3690 days ago
you have to consider apps are still plugging holes of basic functionality everyone expect from a computer but isn't available on mobile.

I still can't fine tune my screen brightness nor set up a firewall. oh but next version of the OS will have support for saving a copy of my credit card for wireless payments

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nikatwork 3690 days ago
Would Apple allow an app that's ad-free for 30 days then chock full of nagware?
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