Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

edibleapple.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 63 posts

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#31

Post by MatthewPhillips »

MLB.tv is the only subscription service (that I'm aware of) that charges for the app as well. And they do it inconsistently.

I paid I think $120-$130, somewhere in that range, for MLB.tv, however I need to pay an additional $15 to get it on my Android phone and an additional $15 to get it on my iPad. However on Roku I pay no additional cost for the app, and on the web I pay no additional cost.

I bought the iPad app because I felt I would be more likely to use it, when laying in bed and such. On the phone I would probably only use it in rare situations and so it's just not worth it for me.

Is any one aware of another subscription that has this type of price model?

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#32

Post by akashs »

timtadh wrote: post #4
jeffclark wrote: post #2

I consider myself pretty high on the chart of "technology-savvy" and trusting when it comes to payment on the Internet. But for some reason, I won't pay for something inside the Android store. I know Google's behind it and that my stuff is probably safe. But there's just something inherintly shady about the Android store that I can't put my finger on. I know it's irrational, but imagine how someone who hasn't created…

I agree 100%. However, I tried the amazon app store and instantly felt better at actually spending money. Somehow it just "feels" less shady. This is probably all irrational and the Amazon store most likely doesn't address the real issues with the Google run store. But at the same time, I know the next time I want to look for an app, I will go to Amazon first.

Great point, I'd second that. Could even be due to the fact that Google is used to taking money from businesses, not consumers. Amazon and Apple, consumer-focused companies, probably know how to do a better job at getting us to spend our cash from all their other experience.

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#33

Post by lallysingh »

Kylekramer wrote: post #20
j79 wrote: post #13

My dad, who is far from being technically-savvy, owns an iPhone (a Christmas gift from my brother and I to our parents.) He wasn't a fan of the phone at first. Too complicated, too hard to make calls, etc. However, something amazing (considering my dad's, uh, "technological capabilities"...) happened a few weeks ago. He calls me up and asks about his "iTunes password" and whether he had ever set that up. I told him,…

While iOS is a smooth experience, I honestly cannot tell what is the substantial difference from Android. Both have the same enter credit card information once, one click purchasing from now on experience. Beyond the pretty small group of people who don't like giving Google more info/don't trust Google as mentioned elsewhere in the thread, what is so much better about iTunes than Google Checkout?

Apple's selecting people who are willing to pay extra for a better phone experience. You can get Androids (and I'm an android fan here) in 2-for-1 specials and other discounted means.

In some ways, the fact that android has a solid browser makes the iPhone about apps (and the iPod/iTunes platform). People are paying money to buy a phone to use its applications --- you're gonna find a higher percentage of them willing to pay for it.

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#34

Post by naner »

uptown wrote: post #3

The iOS MLB app (especially the iPad variety) is probably my favorite. The Android MLB app is probably my least favorite. It's just ugly ... only does a fraction of what the iOS app does, and provides very little beyond what you can get for free from any number of other sports or baseball apps. People will pay for quality. Right now, the Android app isn't anywhere near what I'd consider a quality app.

Is this MLB.com's fault, limitations of Android, or both?

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#35

Post by [deleted] »

jeffclark wrote: post #2

I consider myself pretty high on the chart of "technology-savvy" and trusting when it comes to payment on the Internet. But for some reason, I won't pay for something inside the Android store. I know Google's behind it and that my stuff is probably safe. But there's just something inherintly shady about the Android store that I can't put my finger on. I know it's irrational, but imagine how someone who hasn't created…

[deleted]

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#36

Post by jrockway »

chc wrote: post #16
jrockway wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just look at Angry Birds. It's FREE on the Android store, but charged for on the iOS store. But it's 99 cents on the Amazon Android store: http://www.amazon.com/Rovio-Mobile-Angry-Birds-Ad-Free/dp/B0...

Maybe I've missed it, but has Amazon actually released any sales numbers from its store? So far, it seems to me like little more than a curiosity. The difficulty of installation alone will rule out most customers.

Isn't that true of anything? "Why would people trust Amazon to run their data center?" "Why would people wait for books to be shipped when they could just go to the bookstore?"

Fact is, everything new and different is new and different at first. But that fades away quite quickly.

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#37

Post by jrockway »

Kylekramer wrote: post #25
fleitz wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not the tech that makes it better it's the people, as an app developer it's easier to make money on the Apple ecosystem than Google. If I can't make a profit I'm not going to produce for that platform. Apple's marketing message appeals to a set of consumers who want to buy stuff digitally. Apple has done a bunch of work for me, whereas it's hard to monetize the marketing message of 'open platform'

Again, I think this argument applies to a Hacker News crowd, not the general population. I have seen plenty of Android marketing and I can't remember a single mass market ad that touted openness beyond saying that it runs Flash. Of course, Google employees have said things to that effect, but that is directed to a separate smaller audience. You won't find that on the sides of buses or on TV. I'd be surprised if more…

I think the issue is developer demographics. When people write an app for Apple, they are in the state of mind that it's going to make Apple love them forever. God, erm... Steve Jobs... says so, and he is really cool. There is lots of eye candy to be had, and everything is a singular unified platform. You use your Apple computer, running Apple software to make stuff for an Apple phone that syncs with Apple iTunes. There is some zen in that that is appealing to the kind of developer that spends thousands of hours on irrelevant details that makes designers with blogs really like your app.

On the other hand, there is Android, where the developers are barely-competent Java programmers that just want to make a few bucks off their weekend project.

The reason for the difference is Steve Jobs. People love him, and he motivates them to write better apps. Android is the same-old-Eclipse that you use for programming projects that actually make money, and that's boring.

(I don't write apps for either platform.)

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#38

Post by metageek »

Macha wrote: post #8
jeffclark wrote: post #2

I consider myself pretty high on the chart of "technology-savvy" and trusting when it comes to payment on the Internet. But for some reason, I won't pay for something inside the Android store. I know Google's behind it and that my stuff is probably safe. But there's just something inherintly shady about the Android store that I can't put my finger on. I know it's irrational, but imagine how someone who hasn't created…

My guess (not having used the Amazon store however) is that Android's permissions system is hurting it. Why does that app need location and full network access? So you become suspicious. And so on. While on iOS its automatically given full rights apps get, apart from location, which it asks for at runtime, not install time. So while the iOS app has as much ability to start feeding data home, the fact that the Android…

It's a reasonable guess, but it would apply to free apps, too. (Even more, in fact, since they're usually ad-supported, which means they require Net access and probably your location.)

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#39

Post by yalogin »

jeffclark wrote: post #2

I consider myself pretty high on the chart of "technology-savvy" and trusting when it comes to payment on the Internet. But for some reason, I won't pay for something inside the Android store. I know Google's behind it and that my stuff is probably safe. But there's just something inherintly shady about the Android store that I can't put my finger on. I know it's irrational, but imagine how someone who hasn't created…

I bought a Nexus one recently and while browsing for apps on the market saw many apps just listing every keyword from the dictionary in their description to get some keyword juice. Its similar to the keyword list you find in CL ads. Of course it turns you off that app but also does not make you feel good about the store itself.

Re: MLB.com CEO: iOS users more likely to purchase content than Android users

#40

Post by emehrkay »

j79 wrote: post #13

My dad, who is far from being technically-savvy, owns an iPhone (a Christmas gift from my brother and I to our parents.) He wasn't a fan of the phone at first. Too complicated, too hard to make calls, etc. However, something amazing (considering my dad's, uh, "technological capabilities"...) happened a few weeks ago. He calls me up and asks about his "iTunes password" and whether he had ever set that up. I told him,…

Shazam has a five song limit? I'm never upgrading. When did they do that?
Post reply on HN