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You are very rare. Most people are not like you. Apple tried this with iOS 2 and 3. Minor versions cost users roughly 5-10 USD per update. Therefore many user
by SamuelAdams 2y ago
You are very rare. Most people are not like you.
Apple tried this with iOS 2 and 3. Minor versions cost users roughly 5-10 USD per update.
Therefore many users did not install the latest OS on their devices. The cost, although small, was a barrier for many people.
Apple quickly pivoted and now all software updates are free of charge to all supported devices.
If Mozilla starts charging for Firefox, I predict either people stick with the oldest version that is free, or stop using Firefox and use a fork that maintains its free (in cost) license. Or maybe only 2% of users convert to a paid version of Firefox.
- aaomidi 2y agoOS updates are not comparable. Apple charging for updates is idiotic because as a user I don’t have a choice to go use a different OS.
- aetch 2y agoYou do have a choice, just keep using the OS version you have. Just like using the an older Firefox version. Adding security updates and new features costs time and money.
- redserk 2y agoApple seems to have made the economics work out well with devices alone. You don’t even have to touch their services revenue to consider ongoing iOS development a significantly successful return on their investment.
- HighGoldstein 2y agoThere are a couple of problems with this argument. One is that with a device (especially a premium one) the cost of support for a reasonable lifetime is considered baked into the price. The other is that security updates imply a security issue, meaning the company sold you an insecure, i.e. defective device in the first place.
- GTP 2y agoThe point is that with browsers there's also the option of using an entire different one, not just keeping an older version of the same browser.
- evah 2y agoIf Apple delivers a defective device to the customer, I see no reason why they shouldn't be fixing it using the money the customer originally paid. A security vulnerability may eventually leave a device completely unusable.
- mikeocool 2y agoI don’t disagree with your point — however apple only charged for the early iOS updates on the iPod touch. And they only did it to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act — which required that if you upgraded a device not on a subscription, you had to charge. They stopped doing it after they lobbied congress to change the law. https://www.macworld.com/article/189247/ipodtouch-3.html https://www.macworld.com/article/189247/ipodtouch-3.html
- jbaber 2y agoHonsetly, pay-what-you-want-if-you-can would work well. Just make a button appear once in a while (that you can permanently turn off in about:config). If firefox asked me once a month "Enjoying the entire internet? Is it worth $1 to you?" I'd press the button often.