iPhone 3.0: Apple charging to download deleted iPhone apps
In addition to a long list of long-awaited features — like a higher resolution autofocus camera, more storage, slicker GPS, video recording, etc. — Apple has slipped a new one into its next-generation operating system, one designed to keep the life blood of the iTunes App Store flowing.
The iPhone Blog brings us news from iPhone 3.0 beta testers that Apple is charging for the privilege to download again commercial apps that users have deleted. That is, while you can still download deleted for-pay apps via your Mac and iTunes, you will have to pay again for software that you’ve deleted but want to re-install on the fly when you are away from your computer.
What they’re specifically saying is, “You’ve already purchased this. You can redownload it for free on your computer, or tap Buy to buy it again.”
The iPhone Blog speculates that this is a preemptive move to block misuse of on-device account management that’s coming in iPhone 3.0, which will allow users to log into multiple iTunes accounts. What’s devilish about that? Well, you could log into 100 different accounts and get access to all of the applications those accounts own.
Quite naturally, Apple and its legion of rabid developers want to make sure users are buying and not “borrowing” (or otherwise not paying for apps), which is what the iPhone ecosystem is all about after all — people getting paid for their hard work.
One twist here though is that free apps can still be redownloaded, at least for the time being, essentially at will, which brings up the issue of fairness (i.e. a free app whose revenue is derived from in-app content and updates). Thereupon, is Apple skewing the business model here toward free apps that generate revenue from in-app content and updates versus the traditional, pay-once and you own it game or application? If yes, how does Apple get paid for the infrastructure and transaction costs? Hmm…
What’s your take?
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June 1st, 2009
That’s fucked up. ¬_¬
June 3rd, 2009
This is a bit trouble for iPhone apps. For that I like custom apps. I asked http://objectdevcorp.com/ to creat few apps for me and they did a splendid job. Now I can get any kind of apps I want.
June 4th, 2009
Time to jailbreak mu touch.
June 19th, 2009
The apps have not been deleted. They’ve just been moved along one swipe-able home page.
To find your apps, swipe your home page left and keep swiping it until you find the apps. Then hold down an app and swipe it left onto another home page.
July 23rd, 2009
Ok, I’m pretty sure what they mean is that you press on the app for a couple of seconds, and you tap on the (x) at the top left corner of the app icon, delete, and rate it or say no thanks. I’ve maxed out my app pages a couple times (10 pages), and have to delete some of those free ones that I never use, and it’s definitely smart for them to do this. I don’t like it and it’s not good for me, but it’s good for them, and they’re Apple, so it looks like they have a little more say in the matter than we do.