That's the perception, and I presume that's why Rovio is taking this tactic. Is it true, though, for them? My impression is that they're testing the advertising

That's the perception, and I presume that's why Rovio is taking this tactic. Is it true, though, for them? My impression is that they're testing the advertising method. If anyone could sell a ton of Android apps, they could. Pretty much any Android phone owner interesting in downloading Angry Birds would be willing to pay .99c for it. It's a shame they won't treat Android like iOS in this respect - a must-have app is exactly what the Android Market needs. Get people into the Market with a serious intent to obtain a specific app, and they'll set up their account and payment method, paving the way for future purchases. Rovio could be priming the marketplace in general and giving it a big boost. Instead, they're giving Android users a 2nd rate user experience, as well as contributing to the perception that you can't sell apps on Android.