Apple adds "Try Before You Buy" to App Store… sort of

By on Aug 6, 2010 at 6:30 PM
General August 6, 2010

We were surprised to see the heading “Try Before You Buy” when browsing the Apple App Store on one of our iPhones, but after a bit more investigation… we stopped being surprised. The new try before you buy feature is actually a collection of applications that have both a “lite” and paid version available in the App Store. If a developer makes an application that is paid-only, like TomTom Navigation for example, there is no way to try that $40 application without buying it. Hopefully, Apple gets around to implementing a real try before you buy type system sooner rather than later.

[Via Pocket-lint]

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18 Comments

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  • David

    First

  • DaHarder

    Look’s like little more than an ‘Apple Apps Store Shuffle’.

    Where’s the 24hr App refund/satisfaction policy?

  • http://halo3.com p.mcgee

    bLaCkBErrY f0Ne is KEwL bUt I alSo REalLy LiKE tHe APplE anD the GooGlE f0nes. tHey aLL haVe kEwL aPpS w00t w00t

    • WalterSobchak

      Its like a car wreck…. I just can’t look away

  • zapote21

    I’ll stick to Android’s no nonsense 24hr refund guarantee… On ANY app…

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/thelatestech Jacob L

      I feel like if apple did that, they would loose so much money, but it’s smart on androids part.

      http://www.youtube.com/users/thelatestech

      • MicroNix

        And I’m sure developers don’t exactly like Google’s 24hr refund guarantee either but as a consumer who has paid for apps in the past (iPod Touch, PC, etc.) that have been less than stellar, I applaud Google for having the balls to make apps worth your money or refund.

    • jeff

      Considering MOST of the apps on Apple’s platform are games its not that hard to beat a game in 24 hours and then return it.

      Wouldn’t work out that well

    • MikeD

      Of course Google can offer that. No harm to Google except the developer of the app. WHo cares about the developer having to eat.

      • alan

        If an app were only usable or entertaining for 24 hours, then it would have been a rip off at just about any price.

        I buy MORE apps from the Android market than I ever did from Apple because I have no fear that I’m going to get ripped off. I’ve even bought $20+ apps, which I’d never do in AppStore unless I knew who developed it. Look at it this way, it gives smaller (unknown) developers a chance at selling more than just $0.99 apps.

        Plus, with Android one can’t be entirely sure that a given app will work well with their phone.

  • PAPINYC

    Grrreat News! Does that mean we can now try out Duct Tape before buying?

  • WalterSobchak

    This doesn’t matter because no one has ever uninstalled/not liked an apple app.

    • Thablackguy

      quit smokin’

  • Panagiotis Govotsos

    That’s one thing I really miss these days. I came from a Palm OS world where nearly every app had (often fully featured) trials or were shareware. Sure, apps cost a fraction of what they used to, but a couple bucks here and a couple bucks there of lousy apps can really add up. I often find myself really hesitating to buy an app that might be useful just because I’ve ended up buying so much promising trash. And you can’t really depend on user reviews – they’re often ignorant, biased, and don’t give a complete view of the product. I’ve almost gotten to the point of not buying anything unless there is a light version to try.

  • Hold up wait! My EVO has super powers!

    It’s about friggin timw that apple catches up with Android!

    • Hold up wait! My EVO has super powers!

      time

  • offday

    yeah..that’s one thing Google is STILL killing Apple in. even though there are only a handful of GREAT games on the Android Market vs the App Store, this feature makes me less stressed browsing the Android Market!

  • technologywizard

    Hopefully this was implemented with the intention of helping the consumers, not Apple’s stock.

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