6 ms·

My wish is that Apple adds paid upgrades for apps in the app store. I'm now close to releasing a major upgrade for an iPhone app, but these upgrades aren't goi

by credo 14y ago

My wish is that Apple adds paid upgrades for apps in the app store. I'm now close to releasing a major upgrade for an iPhone app, but these upgrades aren't going to be sustainable for me without paid upgrades (I don't want the new features to be IAP features) In the long run, this will also benefit customers because paid-upgrades will help developers add more features to the app. Users who want the new features can pay for the upgrade. Users who don't want to pay more can stick with the older version of the app (and hopefully the app store will make it possible for users to re-install older versions of the app).

duiker101 14y ago
Let's suppose you app uses an API, or whatever other thing that you do not have control over it. You make your app and release it. Then you make a paid upgrade. After some time, that thing your app rely on gets deprecated or changes. If you push an update to only people with the a paid upgrade you screw those who have not paid, leaving them with an non working app that they might have paid for. which sucks. But if you push a free update for everyone you will screw those who paid for the upgrade. which sucks. So, what would you do?
- glogla 14y ago
  And if you are unscrupulous, planned obsolesce combines with paid upgrades really well.
- acdha 14y ago
  Alternate strawman: you do not use paid upgrades and at some point stop making enough money to continue developing and supporting the app and the API. All of your users are screwed , too. It's easy to envision hypothetical situations and they're all already possible, leaving customers stuck having to gauge how serious a company is and how sustainable their business model will be. Paid upgrades don't change this situation but do offer a currently blocked way for developers to make apps with a long-term plan
dmix 14y ago
Can you release a version 2 separately?
- robryan 14y ago
  The process would be a lot nicer though as an upgrade. To release a version 2 separately it is going to be harder to convert current customers.
  - jdizenzo 14y ago
    Releasing a Version 2 (pro version, whatever you want to call it) and updating the original version to include Version 2 advertising is probably a close (though less ideal) alternative that could help with converting users.
smashing 14y ago
Paid upgrades make no sense with IAP.
- biot 14y ago
  That would work well for enable/disable type of unlocking through IAP (eg: extra levels in a game), but how would it work if the whole app were overhauled? How would you determine who is re-downloading version 1 vs. who just purchased and should get version 2?
  - smashing 14y ago
    I can't believe I was about to type in a response to this. How do I delete a HN account?
- pooriaazimi 14y ago
  Disagree wholeheartedly. Read this post to see why: http://blog.wilshipley.com/2012/03/mac-app-store-needs-paid-upgrades.html http://blog.wilshipley.com/2012/03/mac-app-store-needs-paid-...
mmccomb 14y ago
I think it's a great idea. As a caveat to this I'd also like to see support added for hosting multiple versions of an app on the store at any given time.
Jare 14y ago
A paid upgrade would also signify a breaking point for further free upgrades for any user that doesn't buy the upgrade. It's not really meant to work that way.
- Someone 14y ago
  There is no obligation on the part of the developer to deliver _any_ upgrade. A paid upgrade would be a clear signal to users of the free version that there will not be any free upgrades in the future. Some users would prefer knowing that over the uncertainty of 'will this app ever be updated?/will that one bug ever be fixed?' that they get when an app does not see updates for months/years.
jquery 14y ago
"Fixes app crashing after extended usage. Only $2.99!"
- cluda01 14y ago
  Any app developer with that mentality probably is not going to make an iPhone app worth using in the first place
iuguy 14y ago
I see where you're coming from, but perhaps a better way is to make it possible to offer discounts for a new app. E.g. Funky App 2 at half price, and to be able to notify users of the app at that new price. The rationale behind this is that users can still be notified of major release versions without forcing them to upgrade or die (sometimes people continue to support older versions for a bit while the new version gets traction). For example, the new version of Coda when it came out was pretty buggy compared to the older more stable version and app store reviews showed it, but there's no way for people buying Coda 2 on the app store to upgrade to Coda 3 at an upgrade price when it comes out. Having the ability to provide a discount for not only Coda 3, but other Panic software at upgrade time could generate more sales for things like Transmit etc. I'm not singling out Panic, just a recent example.
- Splines 14y ago
  I like this approach - it doesn't break the existing experience of free upgrades. While I can understand where the GP's idea of paid upgrades is coming from, the not-infrequent occurrence of apps going from Paid-->Free + IAP is often enough that I can see paid upgrades being yet another way App Store users get taken advantage of.
wdr1 14y ago
> My wish is that Apple adds paid upgrades for apps in the app store. As a user, I very much like the current business model. I'm actually more willing to buy an app because I know won't be socked every X months with a fee to update. It's a very transparent & easy to understand model. I understand you, as the app creator, wanting to raise more revenue, but I would prefer that cost be front-loaded.

by credo 14y ago

duiker101 14y ago

Let's suppose you app uses an API, or whatever other thing that you do not have control over it. You make your app and release it. Then you make a paid upgrade. After some time, that thing your app rely on gets deprecated or changes. If you push an update to only people with the a paid upgrade you screw those who have not paid, leaving them with an non working app that they might have paid for. which sucks. But if you push a free update for everyone you will screw those who paid for the upgrade. which sucks. So, what would you do?

glogla 14y ago
And if you are unscrupulous, planned obsolesce combines with paid upgrades really well.
acdha 14y ago
Alternate strawman: you do not use paid upgrades and at some point stop making enough money to continue developing and supporting the app and the API. All of your users are screwed , too. It's easy to envision hypothetical situations and they're all already possible, leaving customers stuck having to gauge how serious a company is and how sustainable their business model will be. Paid upgrades don't change this situation but do offer a currently blocked way for developers to make apps with a long-term plan

dmix 14y ago

Can you release a version 2 separately?

robryan 14y ago
The process would be a lot nicer though as an upgrade. To release a version 2 separately it is going to be harder to convert current customers.
- jdizenzo 14y ago
  Releasing a Version 2 (pro version, whatever you want to call it) and updating the original version to include Version 2 advertising is probably a close (though less ideal) alternative that could help with converting users.

smashing 14y ago

Paid upgrades make no sense with IAP.

biot 14y ago
That would work well for enable/disable type of unlocking through IAP (eg: extra levels in a game), but how would it work if the whole app were overhauled? How would you determine who is re-downloading version 1 vs. who just purchased and should get version 2?
- smashing 14y ago
  I can't believe I was about to type in a response to this. How do I delete a HN account?
pooriaazimi 14y ago
Disagree wholeheartedly. Read this post to see why: http://blog.wilshipley.com/2012/03/mac-app-store-needs-paid-upgrades.html http://blog.wilshipley.com/2012/03/mac-app-store-needs-paid-...

mmccomb 14y ago

I think it's a great idea. As a caveat to this I'd also like to see support added for hosting multiple versions of an app on the store at any given time.

Jare 14y ago

A paid upgrade would also signify a breaking point for further free upgrades for any user that doesn't buy the upgrade. It's not really meant to work that way.

Someone 14y ago
There is no obligation on the part of the developer to deliver _any_ upgrade. A paid upgrade would be a clear signal to users of the free version that there will not be any free upgrades in the future. Some users would prefer knowing that over the uncertainty of 'will this app ever be updated?/will that one bug ever be fixed?' that they get when an app does not see updates for months/years.

jquery 14y ago

"Fixes app crashing after extended usage. Only $2.99!"

cluda01 14y ago
Any app developer with that mentality probably is not going to make an iPhone app worth using in the first place

iuguy 14y ago

I see where you're coming from, but perhaps a better way is to make it possible to offer discounts for a new app. E.g. Funky App 2 at half price, and to be able to notify users of the app at that new price. The rationale behind this is that users can still be notified of major release versions without forcing them to upgrade or die (sometimes people continue to support older versions for a bit while the new version gets traction). For example, the new version of Coda when it came out was pretty buggy compared to the older more stable version and app store reviews showed it, but there's no way for people buying Coda 2 on the app store to upgrade to Coda 3 at an upgrade price when it comes out. Having the ability to provide a discount for not only Coda 3, but other Panic software at upgrade time could generate more sales for things like Transmit etc. I'm not singling out Panic, just a recent example.

Splines 14y ago
I like this approach - it doesn't break the existing experience of free upgrades. While I can understand where the GP's idea of paid upgrades is coming from, the not-infrequent occurrence of apps going from Paid-->Free + IAP is often enough that I can see paid upgrades being yet another way App Store users get taken advantage of.

wdr1 14y ago

> My wish is that Apple adds paid upgrades for apps in the app store. As a user, I very much like the current business model. I'm actually more willing to buy an app because I know won't be socked every X months with a fee to update. It's a very transparent & easy to understand model. I understand you, as the app creator, wanting to raise more revenue, but I would prefer that cost be front-loaded.