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agkm800

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 18, 2009
672
4
Assuming iPad-only-apps have more features and provide better user experiences overall:

Sim City for iPhone/Touch: $2.99
Sim City for iPad only: $4.99 (?)

Awesome Note for iPhone/Touch: $3.99
Awesome Note for iPad only: $5.99 (?)


Sound likely? Any objections?
 

admanimal

macrumors 68040
Apr 22, 2005
3,531
2
I think paying a few dollars more for an app that is really optimized and enhanced for the iPad is reasonable. I think Apple is setting the bar about right at $9.99 for what seem to be really full featured iWork apps.

I think I would pay up to $10 or even maybe $20 for a really well done version of Sim City, for example, whereas I wasn't really interested in buying it for any price to play on my small iPhone screen.
 

bossxii

macrumors 68000
Nov 9, 2008
1,754
0
Kansas City
While I've wondered this as well, It's a coin toss. I think most dev's would already push the price up if they could but in order to get noticed or spread the word they either make it free or .99 cents just to raise awareness. Jumping into the 140k app pool is pretty deep and they will get lost fast if they are not competitive.

The major publishers like EA and Gameloft already get 4.99, 5.99 or even 9.99 for games they port over. Since the iPad will already "pixel double" the game to full screen, I doubt they will get more from consumers unless they bring more value to the game. Games on a larger screen typically still do the exact same thing. I think the apps such as MLB making some dramatic changes from iPhone to iPad could bring value to someone and warrant higher pricing on the iPad.

I hope we don't jump from .99 to 19.99 but either way consumers and sales volume will dictate pricing. The app store is a very responsive means of "testing" pricing and reacting to customers needs. I don't think many apps that simply get repacked to run at the iPad's native resolution will bring higher prices.

As an afterthought, I hope the standard for games doesn't goto 9.99... or my app habit just got very expensive :)
 

Niiro13

macrumors 68000
Feb 12, 2008
1,719
0
Illinois
It depends.

As a developer, I definitely would for a couple of my applications because the extra screen space allows for a lot more features.

If it's just rearranging stuff and maybe one small extra feature or two, then probably not.
 

NeuralControl

macrumors 6502a
Dec 3, 2009
921
38
I really hope developers keep the prices about the same. It would be great if the prices were exactly the same, but we will see in a few months.
 

smetvid

macrumors 6502a
Nov 1, 2009
551
433
This is a very good question. Part of me thinks it really depends on the app. Some apps may not need very much work except to port over to the larger screen. Some apps however may increase the level of interactivity due to the large screen space. Designing of the graphics for content and the GUI could drive up the development cost. For example my wife likes some of the anatomy apps on the Ipod touch. Part of me thinks the price would be the same because you are getting the same copyright text just in a larger display. On the other hand graphics such as image of body parts may be larger and therefore increase the development cost. If the price does go up I doubt it would be a huge amount. Of course we always have the option of still using the Iphone version of the app if cost is really that much of a factor for us.
 

greygray

macrumors 68000
Oct 22, 2009
1,848
1
Don't think it's likely. These developers want their apps to sell on the iPad as well as the iPhone. All they have to do is create a version for the iPhone and make it scaled up to fit the iPad.
 

admanimal

macrumors 68040
Apr 22, 2005
3,531
2
All they have to do is create a version for the iPhone and make it scaled up to fit the iPad.

They can do that, but I hope consumers demand more, otherwise the iPad will actually just be a big iPod Touch. I'd rather see developers really enhance their iPad apps and charge more than just slightly change the interface for a bigger screen and charge the same.
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,142
19,682
It depends how many devs take advantage of the new SDK which allows for universal apps. These apps will share the same codebase but when run on an iPad, will offer higher resolution, more features for the screen, etc over the iPhone version.

What sucks about this, for iPhone users, is that many of their apps will grow in size because of this. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, especially since many devs will want to make money off the iPad only version, and many iPad owners will have iPhones, etc and get it for free in this manner. However, some devs might bet that people will be more likely to purchase their product if it supports both, and might see the benefit in overcoming the competition. Again, we'll see.

As for the price of iPad-only non-universal versions, I bet they will top out around $15 for the AAA titles. Plus there won't be as much competition at first. The most money I spent on iPhone apps was probably the first few months when everything cost $10. That was painful, especially looking at what you can get now for $10. 10 apps!

I also don't see many iPad apps being sold for below $5, aside from some basic games or other really simple apps that have limited functionality to begin with. Like fart apps. But for some reason I don't see the iPad as being a big market for those types of apps anyway, and hopefully we will see less of them in the iPad section. Seems like more productivity and AAA game titles to start with, which is absolutely fine by me. Apple released their Texas Holdem game for $4.99 when the App Store debuted, some say, to set a lower pricing scale by example. I think they did the same thing with iPad, but with grown up, feature rich apps at a decent, although higher standard price point then the earlier game release. Apple, if you're reading, PORT APERTURE! Oh and iPhone syncing / tethering. Thank you.
 

digitalField

macrumors regular
May 21, 2004
123
8
portland
maybe its just me but i feel like there is little incentive for a developer to make unique software for the ipad..

if you make it for the iphone.. it will work on both iphone and ipad platforms hitting the largest possible audience..

if you make it for the ipad market.. you can incorporate more advance interactions/features, but your only potential buyers are those with the pad.

and lets say you made an app, with a version for both, limited features for iphone robust features for ipad.. awe we, the consumer, suppose to purchase twice?

Dont get me wrong i think the iPad is going to be great, im getting one.. i just curious what this is going to do to the development process..

M!
 

admanimal

macrumors 68040
Apr 22, 2005
3,531
2
maybe its just me but i feel like there is little incentive for a developer to make unique software for the ipad..

You might be right from strictly a profit point of view, but from a creative standpoint I think the iPad is much more attractive platform that the iPhone. I think initially we will see a mix of crappy developers making poor iPad versions of their iPhone apps as a cash grab attempt and good developers making nicely enhanced versions of their iPhone apps (or completely new iPad apps). I guess the market will decide which of these groups are successful in the long run.
 

lordhamster

macrumors 68000
Jan 23, 2008
1,644
1,643
Assuming iPad-only-apps have more features and provide better user experiences overall:

Sim City for iPhone/Touch: $2.99
Sim City for iPad only: $4.99 (?)

Awesome Note for iPhone/Touch: $3.99
Awesome Note for iPad only: $5.99 (?)


Sound likely? Any objections?

Developers don't set prices, the market does. Sure in the short term a developer may set a price, but eventually he will keep lowering it until people buy it.
 

melman101

macrumors 68030
Sep 3, 2009
2,751
295
I am a developer. I will be making an iPad version of my program, and I most likely will sell it for $0.99 cents.

It really depends on the developer.
 

G4R2

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2006
547
4
I have a feeling that the market for iPad specific apps will equilibrate at a price point higher than iPhone apps. The reason I suspect this to be the case is that the market will likely be smaller than the iPhones and developers may spend additional time and resources developing software for the larger screen and faster processor.

Hopefully the lower prices of the iPhone store and the experience that developers already possess in creating iPhone apps will place a downward pressure on the pricing for iPad specific apps. If developers reuse code for the iPad then this will reduce development and help keep prices down.
 

Bytor65

macrumors 6502a
Feb 10, 2010
845
169
Canada
There is no excuse for charging more.

Especially for apps that are minor updates for the screen size. For much less work than the original application they will open a whole new market.

Smart developers will likely be making 1 app that will work on either device, it will save them maintenance costs. They won't have two prices for it.

Plus the appstore is highly competitive. Overprice your app and someone else will do it cheaper.
 
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