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Why do people pay for apps?


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Old 04-02-2011, 07:40
Pretinama
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On my iPhone the majority of apps I have are free ones, but there are a few I paid for. Personally I have never really *only* looked at free stuff - even when I was a Windows user. I look at what does the thing I want. If it's free then great; if not and there's no free alternative I'll pay provided I don't feel like I am being ripped off. I think the most expensive app I have paid for has been about £3, and I spend that without blinking getting a coffee on my way to work.
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Old 04-02-2011, 07:48
mtaylor1811
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The Majority of apps on iphone are a lighter version of the real thing, they have a few things missing bits and the inclusion of ads etc. I have paid for a few as 59p for an app is not gonna break my Bank. Yet the best app I have ever had is a free Guitar Tuner on the Android market. I think its best to support the app market after all if we all wanted freebies, no one would be writing apps!
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Old 04-02-2011, 09:23
slapmatt
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Are you saying your not a "smart" phone user on not a "smart phone" user?

Sorry, couldn't resist!
A bit of both!

Thanks for all the responses, as a software developer myself I am interested in the responses. There definitely seems to be an Android/iPhone devide when it comes to paying for apps.
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Old 04-02-2011, 20:24
grumpyoldbat
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A bit of both!

Thanks for all the responses, as a software developer myself I am interested in the responses. There definitely seems to be an Android/iPhone devide when it comes to paying for apps.
Yes, that definitely seems to be the case that each store varies quite a bit. Mind you, I've got plenty of iPhone friends and family who download nothing but the freebies either.

Interestingly users of Windows Phone 7, which is Microsoft's newest phone platform, seem to be willing to support higher priced paid applications. The average price per app on that store is much higher than for iPhone or Android, and yet developers are saying they are selling apps there!
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Old 04-02-2011, 20:25
grumpyoldbat
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On my iPhone the majority of apps I have are free ones, but there are a few I paid for. Personally I have never really *only* looked at free stuff - even when I was a Windows user. I look at what does the thing I want. If it's free then great; if not and there's no free alternative I'll pay provided I don't feel like I am being ripped off. I think the most expensive app I have paid for has been about £3, and I spend that without blinking getting a coffee on my way to work.
LOL! Did you see this: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps
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Old 04-02-2011, 20:50
gouldy26
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I see what you did there. You're playing "Totally missed the point of the thread, guy". Yes?
i never missed any point and you must be the "i don't want to pay for anything and all software should be free guy"
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Old 04-02-2011, 21:10
DieDieMyDarling
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i never missed any point and you must be the "i don't want to pay for anything and all software should be free guy"
I pay for Digiguide, that's my bit for all those coders out there.
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Old 05-02-2011, 11:50
brangdon
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I find it strange, as a PC user I have become conditioned to expect all but largest most complex pieces of software to be free. I have a free email client, Web browser, anti-virus, image editor, music editor, the list goes on.
The big apps are available free partly because so many people want them, so there's a reason for Open Source programmers to rally round and produce them. A lot of phone apps are more specialist.

There is also a feeling that you get what you pay for, and an expectation that the more expensive version of a thing will be better. That's not always true, but it often is.

Pretty much the only paid software I use is Microsoft Windows and Office.
Most people get Windows included with their PC - perhaps not free, but they don't notice the cost. Is there a reason you paid for Microsoft Office instead of the free OpenOffice?

The Majority of apps on iphone are a lighter version of the real thing, they have a few things missing bits and the inclusion of ads etc.
Absolutely. And the adverts have to be downloaded from the internet, so they consume your data allowance and also run down your battery. I suspect a lot of people who complain about poor battery life have tons of "free" apps serving adverts all the time.

It's worth paying to avoid that, so long as the price is low. Usually apps are cheap compared with a pint of beer, never mind compared with the cost of the phone.
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Old 05-02-2011, 16:52
Swansea Stu
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A bit of both!

Thanks for all the responses, as a software developer myself I am interested in the responses. There definitely seems to be an Android/iPhone devide when it comes to paying for apps.
I may be wrong but I have 3 ideas for the divide. Apple users are "used" to paying for apps, music etc. Apple users have more disposable income. Android apps are quicker to install, test, uninstall and replace.

And the adverts have to be downloaded from the internet, so they consume your data allowance and also run down your battery. I suspect a lot of people who complain about poor battery life have tons of "free" apps serving adverts all the time.

It's worth paying to avoid that, so long as the price is low. Usually apps are cheap compared with a pint of beer, never mind compared with the cost of the phone.
If you switch your connection off then there are no adverts at all. Apps often run faster, battery life is extended and no data is used.

On Android there are widgets to do this so it's just a matter of pressing a button on one of the home screens.

Anyone complaining about poor battery life for the reasons you suggest is just dumb, and they'd still be dumb whether they paid for apps or not.

And I feel no guilt for not allowing the developer his ad revenue.
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Old 05-02-2011, 23:06
brangdon
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If you switch your connection off then there are no adverts at all. Apps often run faster, battery life is extended and no data is used.
But then you can't use apps that rely on the connection.

Anyone complaining about poor battery life for the reasons you suggest is just dumb, and they'd still be dumb whether they paid for apps or not.
Not so much dumb as not technical users. Knowing how to configure your phone so you can switch the connection off with a single tap is beyond the kind of people who don't know how to program their video recorder. In addition, if you have to switch the connection on before using an app, and then switch it off afterwards, then the app loses a lot of convenience.

I think there are battery management apps which can enable the connection for specific other apps. But some people want a phone that just works. They don't want to have to learn all this low level power management optimisation stuff.
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Old 06-02-2011, 00:01
LostFool
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The only app I have used paid for is PodTrapper for downloading podcasts. I just couldn't find a free version which I liked.

There is big money to be made in developing apps though. If you charge 60p (or $1) per download then a lot of people are going to be willing to pay for it just to take a look. If a million people download it that's $1m.
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