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Will we have to re-buy iPad Edition apps?
- Thread starter SebZen
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We will have to wait and see when the iPad and apps come out
I would say it would depend on the individual app and developer
But I am guessing "no"
I would say it would depend on the individual app and developer
But I am guessing "no"
You might want to read the existing thread on this (I have requested that the Moderators merge this to there).
As a developer with a single iPhone app (as I am very lazy) I would say that this will depend on the level of effort required. If I update my one tiny app then it will be free but if I had a larger, more complex app that would take > 1 man-day to update I'd expect to be paid for that effort.
Upgrades to an enhanced version are not a right...
As a developer with a single iPhone app (as I am very lazy) I would say that this will depend on the level of effort required. If I update my one tiny app then it will be free but if I had a larger, more complex app that would take > 1 man-day to update I'd expect to be paid for that effort.
Upgrades to an enhanced version are not a right...
But you bought an iPhone version (which is iPad compatible) so why would you expect a free iPad optimized version? When you buy s/w version 1.0 do you usually get a free copy of version 2.0? No. Maybe a discount or a rebate, but rarely a free upgrade. So why is this any different? I mean we are not just talking about a new version, but a new platform.
I guess you're right, unless it really does take hardly any time to update the app, like an earlier poster said. The consequence will be alot of people will continue to use non-ipad optimized apps on their ipad just to save money. Which will create a less than ideal user interface most likely, although that's a persons choice.
This also makes me think about something, and its probably already been addressed somewhere but I don't know. Will the ipad specific apps be backwards compatible with the iphone/ipod touch?
So you will spend $500 or more for a new iPad and not spend a few $s for iPad specific software "...just to save (a little) money..." and suffer with a "...less than ideal user interface..."?
Please explain your logic (or lack of)?
If the user interface is designed for the iPad the the developer has to design a completely different user interface for the iPhone (and basically the other way round too). As the iPad supports extra UI elements at the very least the code that supports the UI needs to be somewhat different between the two apps. A well designed app should be able to re-use it's model and some of it's controller layer without issue.
That said even the model layer may require updating. For example my very simple app pulls data off the web. On the iPhone it only needs to pull one page/source at once. As you can only display one on screen. On the iPad this might well not be the case: the screen is big enough to support two or three. So the code that pulls the data would have to be redesigned from the ground up to allow parallel pulls or to queue up pulls as required...
As a developer, I can tell you, Local LTD will work on iPhone and have an enhanced iPad version in the same app. It's really up to the developer. I would say most developers will create iPad specific apps, but some will create a Universal Binary. I am creating a Universal Binary for Local LTD.
I don't think it will happen with games though as I think the developers will most likely create iPad specific versions of their games.
I don't think it will happen with games though as I think the developers will most likely create iPad specific versions of their games.
Agree. Agree. And agree.
I would expect developers to continue to update the iPhone/iPod touch version for free. And according the keynote, almost all will run on the iPad as is.
For iPad specific versions, if they are just screen tweaks, probably for free. If they are basically new versions that utilize the extras screen real estate in new ways, then my guess is that we'll have to pay for the new iPad version.
Be interesting to see how this plays out.
I already have a sneaking suspicion that this is gonna be like HDTV for me... I won't want to use any iPhone (Standard Def) Apps on my iPad and I'll be a snob about it. 
How flexible/powerful is the App Store pricing engine? Specifically, without too much pain could devs offer both a trade-up price for existing users alongside a (presumably higher) price for new users?
So you will spend $500 or more for a new iPad and not spend a few $s for iPad specific software "...just to save (a little) money..." and suffer with a "...less than ideal user interface..."?
Well, when you put it that way I guess alot of people that have the money to spend on an ipad will have the money to upgrade. It will also depend on the app, so that an expensive app like slingplayer or some games people still might not want to spend the money to upgrade.
This also brings up the issue of whether people will pay more for ipad specific apps than for their iphone counterparts. So say a game like Madden for ipad might cost $20, and the iphone one only $10, since you are getting the better user interface of a large screen and its easier to play than on a little phone. I could see the price points being iphone games= $10, ipad games=$20-25, Mac games=$40-50.
The flip side to this discussion is that there are a lot of iPhone apps that I wouldn't consider paying for on the iPad simply because they weren't very useful to me.
The iPhone, to some degree, is a bit like a low cost proving ground. Considering all the apps I have purchased I doubt the total price has exceeded $200, if even. And yet the cost/benefit ratio of that expense easily exceeds most of my desktop software purchases by several orders of magnitude, with the exception of some key applications (any one of which cost more then all my iPhone app purchases combined).
The iPhone has served as a pre-filter for me that will really help me determine what will be worth buying should a more expensive iPad version be released. This is important because I do have a sense that the iPad marketplace will differ from the iPhone marketplace in that the price for iPad specific apps will stabilize at a higher equilibrium point then iPhone apps (due to a smaller potential market, more potential complexity, and presumably a higher cost for development) and that there will be apps that make sense on the iPad and don't on the iPhone.
The iPhone, to some degree, is a bit like a low cost proving ground. Considering all the apps I have purchased I doubt the total price has exceeded $200, if even. And yet the cost/benefit ratio of that expense easily exceeds most of my desktop software purchases by several orders of magnitude, with the exception of some key applications (any one of which cost more then all my iPhone app purchases combined).
The iPhone has served as a pre-filter for me that will really help me determine what will be worth buying should a more expensive iPad version be released. This is important because I do have a sense that the iPad marketplace will differ from the iPhone marketplace in that the price for iPad specific apps will stabilize at a higher equilibrium point then iPhone apps (due to a smaller potential market, more potential complexity, and presumably a higher cost for development) and that there will be apps that make sense on the iPad and don't on the iPhone.
The App Store doesn't offer a way for developers to distinguish between new and existing users, so I'd say no. This is a weakness of the App Store -- developers often come up with a significant update of their app, and would like to offer it to their existing users at a discount, but there's no way to do it. They either have to "give away" the upgrade to their existing users for free, or they have to put it into the App Store as a separate app, forcing their users to re-purchase the upgrade at the same price as new users.
I have a different prediction. People buy new iPhone apps all the time. I mean, ALL the time. When they get an iPad, they'll start spending this money on shiny new iPad apps. Did you say you'd spent $80 on iPhone apps? Well, in a few months, even without the iPad, you'd have spent another $80 on new iPhone apps. Now you'll probably buy iPad apps instead. Or both.
Most people who own both devices will end up with two different app collections. For the most part, they'll be separate collections -- e.g. games you play on the phone and games you play on the Pad. But there will be two categories of overlap:
• iPhone apps that work well and look pretty good on the iPad, but aren't worth spending extra money on.
• iPhone apps that you like SO much, or use so regularly, that you'll just shell out the extra bucks for an iPad version.
It's not like we're talking about huge sums of money. Maybe people who are used to getting apps for .99 or 2.99 or -- take a deep breath -- 5.99 don't remember when apps for "real" computers cost forty or fifty bucks or more. This is probably why I've got 8 screens worth of apps most of which I never even look at. Most of them cost less than a coffee at Starbucks.
You are honestly the cheapest person I've ever seen. I'm flabbergasted at how ridiculous you're being in relation to your sense of entitlement when it comes to a developer's job.
You'll be able to run all those iPhone apps on the iPad, just not enhanced.
Do you take old DVDs back to the shop and demand Blu-Ray versions for free?
Couldn't have said it better myself haha
I'll re-buy
Honestly, I fully expect to re-purchase apps. For the ones that are worth it, I don't see a problem. I actually am surprised developers continue to update and improve some of their apps given that they charge such a small amount yet are continually expected to update their apps for free. I think it's only fair for them to get paid. For me the best part of the iPhone are the cool apps. I think we should all support their development.
Honestly, I fully expect to re-purchase apps. For the ones that are worth it, I don't see a problem. I actually am surprised developers continue to update and improve some of their apps given that they charge such a small amount yet are continually expected to update their apps for free. I think it's only fair for them to get paid. For me the best part of the iPhone are the cool apps. I think we should all support their development.
One reason this might happen is the 3.2 issue. iPad-optimized apps (including universal apps) will have to target iPhone OS 3.2 minimum, which will presumably also be available for iPhone/iPod touch.
Since users are generally slow to adopt new OS versions, this isn't very appealing, since you'd have to cut out a potentially huge market of existing iPhone/touch owners to sell to iPad owners.
A possible solution would be for Apple to allow devs to upload separate binaries for separate OS versions. If you have 3.2, you get the universal binary.
Lots of apps still target 2.x for this reason.
Since users are generally slow to adopt new OS versions, this isn't very appealing, since you'd have to cut out a potentially huge market of existing iPhone/touch owners to sell to iPad owners.
A possible solution would be for Apple to allow devs to upload separate binaries for separate OS versions. If you have 3.2, you get the universal binary.
Lots of apps still target 2.x for this reason.
This is not the case. It is possible to target an app to 3.2 in order to take advantage of iPad features but have the base SDK be 3.0 so that it still works on earlier versions. It just requires some extra code to determine at run-time which API calls are available and possibly weak linking certain frameworks. The same can be done so that OS 2.0-compatible apps can take advantage of OS 3.0 features.
People seem to be far too surprised by this model, even from people who own Macs. Most applications for the Mac usually make you upgrade to the newest version of Mac before their updates will even work.
They add new features to the OS that people want to take advantage of leaving the 10.4 users and such in the dust. This is nothing really new yet everyone is oh so surprised.
They add new features to the OS that people want to take advantage of leaving the 10.4 users and such in the dust. This is nothing really new yet everyone is oh so surprised.
Couldnt the developers simply make the newer features or update unlockable via an in app purchase?
Existing users keep what they pay for and have the option to pay for more, new users can buy the new app and then the newer features if they want.
I dont like that model personally because it is overly complex and eliminates the what you see is what you get pricing that is (IMHO) an advantage to Apples store.
Personally, I hope that market pressures force most developers to offer free or minimally priced upgrades to iPad compatible apps. While there is additional work involved in making an iPad version they are also gaining access to a new and untapped pool of potential buyers that should offset the labor necessary to port the app from iPhone to iPad.
