Another angle on iPhone app sharing
By Michael W. Jones
During the same week that a hole which allowed multiple users to share apps via iTunes had been closed, there is news that another type of app sharing may be coming with iPhone OS 3.0.
The hole which was closed involved the possibility of re-downloading apps from the App Store. In that sort of app sharing, a user could have given a friend his or her iTunes purchase credentials, and that friend could then have downloaded the app as if it were a re-download by the original purchaser, and thus scored the app for free. That hole has been closed.
Now, though, comes news that iPhone OS 3.0 has software hooks embedded in it that would allow another type of app sharing. It seems that Apple’s soon-to-be-released iPhone Software 3.0 may include a feature that lets users share their purchased applications with family or friends. If these software functions are being interpreted correctly, they could give iPhone and iPod touch owners more involvement in identifying apps that deserve more hype and longer legs in the App Store.
The software features are apparently very sophisticated, according to an Apple Insider article. They could easily allow users to share App Store software likes and dislikes with each other, thus forming the basis of a recommendation system with hints of social networking. It has even been proposed that the software functions could allow users to earn commissions for recommendations that result in app sales. All of those are fairly radical notions.
Apparently, the software routines would allow one user to get a trial or “lite” version of an app directly from another user and try it out to see if they like it. The lack of an opportunity to try applications before buying has been cited as a shortfall of the App Store. Using the new processes, a user could get a recommendation and a trial app from a friend at the same time, and then visit the App Store to buy it if they liked it.
This feature would likely be attractive to potential users. They could turn a trusted opinion into a software trial instantly. Their friends, who probably have similar interests, could be their best source of new apps that they would like, and those same friends could provide the trial version. If Apple decides to use these OS hooks, finding a worthwhile app among the 25,000-plus in the App Store could have just gotten a whole lot easier.
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June 4th, 2009
It’s not hard to find an app in the store.
The search tool works well. The problem is that not all apps/games have demo/trial versions.
They should be forced to release a trial version of every single app. I spent a tone of money on these stupid $1-$2 games that I wish I could have tried first. Screen shots look great but say nothing of the game play and controls. For instance Sonic, I love the game but controls on the ipod touch suck! I want my money back!