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iPad App Prices

L

LadyHoneyBabe

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 22, 2010
465
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Since iPad apps cost more, I don't think I'll be so quick to purchase apps. I have paid for some apps that ended up being a waste of money, but it's kinda hard when there's no trial app for me to make a more informed decision. Since the iPad apps cost more and there's no trial on some, I'll probably stick to the more mainstream apps (Netflix, iWorks, New York Times, etc.) and ones I've downloaded previously.

I really hope all the apps have some kind of trial/free app for the iPad before a purchase has to be made.

:apple:
 
I just think the iPad app prices are more realistic. I feel sorry for developers on the iPhone app store who have released quality apps that no one will buy because they're more than a dollar. :( The release of the app store was when I realised the sheer amount of absolute cheapskates in the world.
 
LadyHoneyBabe said:
Since iPad apps cost more, I don't think I'll be so quick to purchase apps. I have paid for some apps that ended up being a waste of money, but it's kinda hard when there's no trial app for me to make a more informed decision. Since the iPad apps cost more and there's no trial on some, I'll probably stick to the more mainstream apps (Netflix, iWorks, New York Times, etc.) and ones I've downloaded previously.

I really hope all the apps have some kind of trial/free app for the iPad before a purchase has to be made.

:apple:
Click to expand...

doubt there will be trial apps. but i agree with you on the price. I'm only going to buy a few at first and I bet the prices will stabilize. We'll see if people are willing to pay $4 for an app that was previously $1.
 
Apps will hopefully (and should be) priced higher, in general and if that means people need to put a bit more thought and consideration into their purchases, I can only see that as a good thing. Less crapware please.
 
There are a few that are getting bought without thought, but there are some areas that we will be waiting to see what evolves in the coming weeks.

The kid wants the Scrabble game badly - $9.99. Ouch. And we have it for the Touch already...... she has $30 in iTunes cards to spend how she wants though, I just hope she THINKS first.

Oh and I do think most of the prices are fair - the ones that are "hurting" me are the ones that I already bought for the Touch and there apparently isn't an upgrade with in App Purchases. In my case, there are a few that once bought on the iPad, won't be used on the Touch again....
 
It still baffles me that somebody can afford to buy an iPad yet somehow they find the idea of a $10 app "expensive". It really isn't (obviously everything is relative and an app still has to deliver value for that $10).
 
Luke Redpath said:
It still baffles me that somebody can afford to buy an iPad yet somehow they find the idea of a $10 app "expensive". It really isn't (obviously everything is relative and an app still has to deliver value for that $10).
Click to expand...

I have no problem with apps being a more expensive than a dollar or two, but I do have a problem spending $10 or more dollars on an app I've never used before.

That's the main issue with buying apps, you don't always know what you are going to get and you don't want to invest alot of money in something that you may use for a minute and realize its totally useless.

I don't think people are cheap, its just they don't like to spend alot of money on things they haven't tried beforehand. If I find a quality app, that I use alot, I am more than willing to pay good money for it.

I think the solution is trial period apps, where you download for free and can use for a week or two, and the it expires unless you want to purchase the full app.
 
diabolic said:
I guess it's better than $60 for a console game.
Click to expand...

She only asks for those for birthday/christmas. This year she got the iPad for her birthday in Feb - and the iTunes cards are from birthday/christmas.

Funny how she is getting more picky the more she figures out how much stuff costs! LOL!! She keeps a list of songs she wants - but won't buy them until she has waited for a bit.

however, the scrabble game and the Touch and flick letters thing - ya, that is catering to her ultimate scrabble geek core! LOL!!

Teens - for fun and "profit" :D
 
Trials would be nice, but I'm not convinced they are essential. As I said, it does require putting more thought and consideration into your purchase and likewise, if developers hope to sell their apps at higher prices, they are going to need to put more effort into showcasing their app rather than simply relying on reviews and screenshots (so videos, screencasts, guided tours, that kind of thing).
 
Luke Redpath said:
Trials would be nice, but I'm not convinced they are essential. As I said, it does require putting more thought and consideration into your purchase and likewise, if developers hope to sell their apps at higher prices, they are going to need to put more effort into showcasing their app rather than simply relying on reviews and screenshots (so videos, screencasts, guided tours, that kind of thing).
Click to expand...

No matter how well showcased an app is, I would still be skeptical on purchasing it without actually using it myself. You can show me a piece of furniture all day, tell me every little detail about it but I still won't even consider it unless I get to sit on it for a while and see how well it feels to me. Not how well you think it will feel to me.
 
MikeCase said:
No matter how well showcased an app is, I would still be skeptical on purchasing it without actually using it myself. You can show me a piece of furniture all day, tell me every little detail about it but I still won't even consider it unless I get to sit on it for a while and see how well it feels to me. Not how well you think it will feel to me.
Click to expand...

I assume you've not bought your iPad yet then.

But what about the people who have bought their iPad already?
 
-Ryan- said:
I just think the iPad app prices are more realistic. I feel sorry for developers on the iPhone app store who have released quality apps that no one will buy because they're more than a dollar.
Click to expand...

By now developers have played with pricing and found that the sweet spot is around 99¢. Long time Mac developer Brian Greenstone (Pangea Software) said he made more in one year in 99¢ iPhone sales than he did in decades of selling games for the Mac at $35.

Still, I think Apple has set the bar with iWork for quality iPad applications at $9.99. I think applications which take real advantage of the iPad will sell for more than iPhone apps, but I am not expecting anything in the $80-90 range. Apple has made micro payments profitable and that has been to the advantage of both users and developers.
 
In my opinion the iPad app store prices seem right...$9.99 for pages etc. is a STEAL!

But the issue comes with the fact that there are rarely trials of these things...I think the Android marketplace does it correctly - you can return any app purchase for 24 hours...that way if I buy an app and it turns out to be a turd I can get my money back. I really think apple should implement this kind of refund system - that would save the developers from having to create trials in the first place.
 
"lite" versions...

I'm sure a lot of apps will have free "lite" versions with limited capabilities, just like they do today. That'll give you the ability to check things out before you buy. This isn't rocket science - it's exactly how it's done right now for the iPhone... why would iPad be any different?

We'll probably see very few of these at launch, because people rushed to submit their "full" apps first, and will follow-up with the "lite" versions later.
 
Bodhi395 said:
I have no problem with apps being a more expensive than a dollar or two, but I do have a problem spending $10 or more dollars on an app I've never used before.

That's the main issue with buying apps, you don't always know what you are going to get and you don't want to invest alot of money in something that you may use for a minute and realize its totally useless.

I don't think people are cheap, its just they don't like to spend alot of money on things they haven't tried beforehand. If I find a quality app, that I use alot, I am more than willing to pay good money for it.

I think the solution is trial period apps, where you download for free and can use for a week or two, and the it expires unless you want to purchase the full app.
Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more. I would be willing to bet that for EVERY app out there, a quick search will lead you to plenty of videos and reviews that will show you exactly what the app does and what people think of it.
 
MikeCase said:
No matter how well showcased an app is, I would still be skeptical on purchasing it without actually using it myself. You can show me a piece of furniture all day, tell me every little detail about it but I still won't even consider it unless I get to sit on it for a while and see how well it feels to me. Not how well you think it will feel to me.
Click to expand...

I suppose you ask for samples before you make your choice at a restaurant as well? Spending $100's if not $1000's on furniture is one thing but spending $5-$10 isn't really the same.

It bothers me that some people I know won't get anything but free apps for their iPhones. I have no problem spending a few dollars for an app, and depending on quality I have no issues spending $10+ on an ipad app I'll be using on a daily basis.
 
I will hold off a bit before I purchase certain apps. The price WILL go down very fast for most of them. A lot in the first week. I don't want to be the person that pays triple for certain apps a week before they lower the price. Happened on the iPhone. It isn't about being cheap, it is about keeping my loose change for McDonalds.
 
The price is not the problem it the rating system. I mean any game that is 9.99 is a good deal because you can't find a new game for that price on any system. I want hard work to go into app so i am willing to pay for it. And lets keep it real most americans spend $5-10 a day on fast food.
 
GadgetX said:
I suppose you ask for samples before you make your choice at a restaurant as well? Spending $100's if not $1000's on furniture is one thing but spending $5-$10 isn't really the same.

It bothers me that some people I know won't get anything but free apps for their iPhones. I have no problem spending a few dollars for an app, and depending on quality I have no issues spending $10+ on an ipad app I'll be using on a daily basis.
Click to expand...

The problem with spending $5-$10 on apps is different because they are non-refundable. Once you buy it, you're stuck with it no matter how crappy the app is.

I can always speak with the manager at the restaurant and have something done instead of just writing it off as a loss.
 
I'm a little unclear why developers think they're entitled to charge a higher price for apps that require the same amount of work as an iPhone app. Just because the screen is bigger, it doesn't justify a higher price tag. They'll soon wisen up when their apps don't sell.
 
MattWylde said:
I'm a little unclear why developers think they're entitled to charge a higher price for apps that require the same amount of work as an iPhone app
Click to expand...

Lots of assumptions in that statement (are you a developer, how would you know what effort is involved in developing an app?).

Obviously a like for like clone at a higher price isn't going to fly, but designing for a larger screen is *not* the same amount of work as developing an iPhone app - not in the slightest - and the evidence so far is that a lot of developers have taken their time to fully take advantage of the larger canvas and the opportunities it presents (in both portrait and landscape, which requires even more thought than on the iPhone/iPod Touch).
 
MattWylde said:
I'm a little unclear why developers think they're entitled to charge a higher price for apps that require the same amount of work as an iPhone app. Just because the screen is bigger, it doesn't justify a higher price tag. They'll soon wisen up when their apps don't sell.
Click to expand...

Hold on . . . . does anyone recall the prices of iPhone apps when the original iPhone was released . . . . and how those prices took a nose dive after the iPhone had been out for a while? Well, I predict the same will happen with iPad apps. Patience Little Grasshopper ;)
 
AJsAWiz said:
Hold on . . . . does anyone recall the prices of iPhone apps when the original iPhone was released . . . . and how those prices took a nose dive after the iPhone had been out for a while? Well, I predict the same will happen with iPad apps. Patience Little Grasshopper ;)
Click to expand...

What were they charging for iPhone apps before they dropped the price?

It still baffles me that somebody can afford to buy an iPad yet somehow they find the idea of a $10 app "expensive". It really isn't (obviously everything is relative and an app still has to deliver value for that $10).
Click to expand...

$10 isn't expensive unless you're trying out apps to find the best one for your needs. For example, I was looking for a certain app and downloaded about 10 apps before I found the one that worked for me. Thank goodness, most of them were free. The one I paid 9.99 for, I ended up deleting because it didn't do what I needed.

If I buy iPad apps like I buy iPhone apps (most I ended not using), I would have spent enough money to buy a couple of 3G iPads. :p


:apple:
 
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