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We agree, and we're developing apps for Android as well. Unfortunately it seems that Google conditioned people for those first few months that ALL apps should b

by nsillik 18y ago

We agree, and we're developing apps for Android as well. Unfortunately it seems that Google conditioned people for those first few months that ALL apps should be free. Now when someone charges $.99 they complain endlessly with comments like: "Great app, but not worth paying for. 1 star." It's really troubling to see people viewing our (hackers) work this way.

staunch 18y ago
I think the problem is uncertainty. I know what I'm going to get when I buy a beer. When I buy an app I might be spending $4 for something that turns out to be worth exactly $0 to me. The people reluctant to gamble $4 per hand are being smart, not cheap. If I could try an app for a week and then pay or lose it I'd probably by ten times as many apps.
- akeefer 18y ago
  Sure, but people rent movies for $4 without knowing if they'll like it, based solely on reviews. They buy wine they've never had before for $5 or $10. They order food for $5 or $10 or $50 from restaurants they've never been to before. People will even spend $50 or $60 on a game they may or may not like, as long as it's for their computer or their console and not their iPhone. Life is full of uncertainty like that, and most of it costs way, way more than any iPhone applications do. My point is that people who wouldn't balk at spending that kind of money on something else that they may or may not like/use will freak out about an iPhone app that costs that much, and I really don't think there's any rational reason for it: it has nothing to do with uncertainty or expected value, but rather people have just been conditioned to expect that apps are free or $0.99 because the app store is flooded with those apps (just like people expect web-apps to be free just because lots of other web-apps are free), and that's a shame since it makes it that much harder for all the developers that are working on making great applications.
  - staunch 18y ago
    I do think there's some truth in what you're saying. I also think you're wrong that iPhone apps are comparable to known quantities like renting movies, food, or games. If I rent a big budget movie (which is what most people do rent) I know that I'm going to get 2 hours of entertainment. I may not love it, but at least I got 2 hours of entertainment value from it. If I order food I at least get full. If I buy wine I get buzzed. If I buy a bad iPhone app it might only take me two minutes to realize I just completely wasted my money it and delete it (or just never use it).

by nsillik 18y ago

staunch 18y ago

I think the problem is uncertainty. I know what I'm going to get when I buy a beer. When I buy an app I might be spending $4 for something that turns out to be worth exactly $0 to me. The people reluctant to gamble $4 per hand are being smart, not cheap. If I could try an app for a week and then pay or lose it I'd probably by ten times as many apps.

akeefer 18y ago
Sure, but people rent movies for $4 without knowing if they'll like it, based solely on reviews. They buy wine they've never had before for $5 or $10. They order food for $5 or $10 or $50 from restaurants they've never been to before. People will even spend $50 or $60 on a game they may or may not like, as long as it's for their computer or their console and not their iPhone. Life is full of uncertainty like that, and most of it costs way, way more than any iPhone applications do. My point is that people who wouldn't balk at spending that kind of money on something else that they may or may not like/use will freak out about an iPhone app that costs that much, and I really don't think there's any rational reason for it: it has nothing to do with uncertainty or expected value, but rather people have just been conditioned to expect that apps are free or $0.99 because the app store is flooded with those apps (just like people expect web-apps to be free just because lots of other web-apps are free), and that's a shame since it makes it that much harder for all the developers that are working on making great applications.
- staunch 18y ago
  I do think there's some truth in what you're saying. I also think you're wrong that iPhone apps are comparable to known quantities like renting movies, food, or games. If I rent a big budget movie (which is what most people do rent) I know that I'm going to get 2 hours of entertainment. I may not love it, but at least I got 2 hours of entertainment value from it. If I order food I at least get full. If I buy wine I get buzzed. If I buy a bad iPhone app it might only take me two minutes to realize I just completely wasted my money it and delete it (or just never use it).