Gee's Blog World: Apple launches try-before-you-buy option in App Store ... sort of

Monday, August 9, 2010

Apple launches try-before-you-buy option in App Store ... sort of

One of the most common gripes people have with the iPhone App Store is that there's no way to know what you're paying for before you pay for it. Apple has decided to address that complaint with a "Try Before You Buy" section in the App Store, which collects the free or lite versions of popular apps. Unfortunately, it's not a full-on app return policy, but it does highlight the developers who make the effort to produce trial versions of their software.

As 9to5Mac points out, many app pirates cite Apple's lack of a way to preview apps as a reason they pirate, and claim they'll buy the apps they like to support the developers. Apple's showing off the lite apps as a counterargument to these people, but I don't think it's a strong one. It's not like every developer is nice enough (or has enough time!) to produce a lite version, so it's still easy to end up buying an app that doesn't work as promised.

In fact, by acknowledging the problem and then not doing anything to solve it, Apple is kind of rubbing the lack of try-before-you-buy in frustrated customers' faces. Not cool, Jobsy. Not cool! Apple may add paid apps to the Try Before You Buy section in the future, but for now, just read up on paid apps before you invest in them, because there's still no simple way to get your money back.