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Coming changes to Apple's App Store

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Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#121

Post by djrogers »

AlexandrB wrote: post #116
zippergz wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The good part of this is that it should strongly incentivize developers to make sure their subscribers are happy. Otherwise they won't make it to the second year.

I think that's only partially true. While Apple promised that there will be an easy way to manage subscriptions, at least some users will just forget that they've subscribed to something and will continue to be charged regardless of whether they are even using the app. This is especially true if they have a mix of intended subscriptions and small unintended ones. This is part of the time-honored business model for pl…

I get an email every single time I am charged for a subscription, so unless you make it a habit to ignore invoice emails, you won't be likely to forget more than once.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#122

Post by developer2 »

chasing wrote: post #103
bad_user wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There aren't many apps that can save you 1000/year. I keep hearing this, but that's nonsense. If a "service" is not producing money and isn't saving you time allowing you to produce money, then it's not worth paying for. Yes, I have subscriptions for IntelliJ IDEA, for Dropbox, for FastMail and for a DigitalOcean VPS. All these are producing money for me. But the list ends here. Because here's the thing: $5/month her…

I want to address two things, here: 1) You're absolutely right: Pricing matters. If I charge you $10/mo for my app that sends you a text message every time there's a full moon, that would be way too expensive and you'd be well within your rights as a consumer to spend your money on something else. As far as I'm aware, Apple will not force you to subscribe to any apps. 2) "... subscriptions are immoral..." Bullshit. A…

>> Apple will not force you to subscribe to any apps

No, but if the marketplace shifts to 90% of developers using subscriptions in their apps (essentially replacing the existing in-app purchases model), then it was facilitated by Apple as the "preferred" model for monetization.

I'm in the same boat as others in the comments. I am willing to pay a subscription for the 2-3 pieces of software that are absolutely core to my daily habits. Beyond those precious few apps, no developer deserves a monthly subscription from me - and they will never suck one out of me. I'm sorry, but too many solo developers think that creating a single app should earn them a $200k/year salary. I've known a couple of these people who think that a single app they worked on for 3 months should set them up for lifetime retirement. The expectations are unreal, and will never be fulfilled no matter the monetization scheme used.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#123

Post by Sgt_Apone »

yoodenvranx wrote: post #113
chasing wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the mindset change that needs to happen is this: Apps are a service. I would actually prefer to pay developers of apps that are truly useful to me a monthly amount so I know they can continue to update and improve the app. If an app saves me $1000/yr in headache, I'd prefer to spend $30/yr on a subscription rather than lose the app entirely because the developers can't keep the lights on.

> Apps are a service. So each month we are now going to pay for Netflix, Spotify, Dropbox, Github, Amazon Prime and a bunch of apps...

A real subscription fatigue is already setting in for me and others that I know. I really don't want to add to that list...

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#124

Post by vitd »

Frank2312 wrote: post #68
joezydeco wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do app developers do now when everyone has 1.0 and you want to release a 2.0 version with more features and not just bugfixes? Do users still expect the upgrade for free?

A problem with upgrade pricins is the difference between new and old users. Do new users have to pay all tiers of upgrade or do they get a reduced cost? If it's the former, then the app's price keeps on rising and comes down to IAPs being better to unlock extra features you actually need without the whole package. If it's the latter, then old users feel betrayed for having to pay the full upgrade price even though th…

>old users feel betrayed for having to pay the full upgrade price even though they bought the app earlier than new users.

Do they, though? Back when things like word processors were hundreds of dollars for the initial purchase and maybe half that for upgrades, it kept your users relatively happy. But when Apple introduced Pages on the app store originally, it was something like $30-40 for new versions. So I actually ended up spending less on it than I had on other word processors, but getting the same regular updates. It's free now, but I personally love the model of low reasonable price each time rather than really high first time price, and kind of high additional price when new versions come out. That initial high price meant there were a lot of programs I didn't buy when I wasn't making quite the salary I am today.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#125

Post by djrogers »

localhost3000 wrote: post #86

As an indie developer my single biggest gripe with the app store (after the obviously asinine review process) is the resetting of visible app reviews any time an app is updated. This is an incredibly expensive tax on shipping app updates which creates a strong disincentive to not incrementally improve your product and a strong incentive for sleazy developers to buy fake reviews when they do ship an update. I detest t…

The other option is for a single bug in a single release to stay in your app reviews in perpetuity. Why would you want that, rather than give prospective customers the option to look at current vs old reviews?

Also, I would quibble with your description of it as 'resetting of visible app reviews' as the old reviews are still visible, they're just one tap away...

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#126

Post by rimantas »

overcast wrote: post #39

Am I the only one exhausted by "apps"? I've gone as far as to limit myself to only two pages worth on my phone, without folders. I feel like most apps could just be the mobile/responsive versions of the existing site. Maintaining separate interfaces always leads to inconsistencies.

What separate interfaces?

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#127

Post by post_break »

adamlett wrote: post #118
post_break wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A simple trial period like Androids 2 hour window would avoid all of this subscription nonsense for your last point.

How do you evaluate the equivalent of say Photoshop or IntelliJ IDEA in 2 hours? Especially if you're new to that category of software?

You give it the full 48 hours android allows you. The 2 hours is only automatic refund. After that you have 48 hours to send in a refund request.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#128

Post by overcast »

rimantas wrote: post #126
overcast wrote: post #39

Am I the only one exhausted by "apps"? I've gone as far as to limit myself to only two pages worth on my phone, without folders. I feel like most apps could just be the mobile/responsive versions of the existing site. Maintaining separate interfaces always leads to inconsistencies.

What separate interfaces?

Native app vs web. There is always features missing from one or the other, and I'd much prefer one consistent interface at xyz.com no matter the device.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#129

Post by st3v3r »

bitL wrote: post #102
st3v3r wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Frankly, with computers we have a chance to break natural constraints on availability but companies seem to be hell bent on reintroducing the same stinky approaches from the past. Why?" Because I want to buy food and pay rent.

How does it help you if your potential customers avoid your software like a plague? Subscriptions border on restricting somebody's financial freedom. Imagine your plumber was forcing you to pay yearly for once/here and there using their services?

"How does it help you if your potential customers avoid your software like a plague?"

You're gonna have to show that would be the result. You'd also have to show that whatever your alternative idea is. You said you want to "break natural constraints on availability." How are you going to do that without charging per copy, or charing a subscription model? And how does your idea make more money that previous, or at least a similar amount?

"Subscriptions border on restricting somebody's financial freedom."

No, they don't.

Re: Coming changes to Apple's App Store

#130

Post by rimantas »

sotojuan wrote: post #115
overcast wrote: post #39

Am I the only one exhausted by "apps"? I've gone as far as to limit myself to only two pages worth on my phone, without folders. I feel like most apps could just be the mobile/responsive versions of the existing site. Maintaining separate interfaces always leads to inconsistencies.

If Apple supported the latest standards in mobile Safari, you could write web apps that work offline and have push notifications like on Android. That's not in Apple's interest though.

Latest standards are getting rid of that "work offline". Not to mention that it never really worked.
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