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Charges coming for redownloading apps on-the-go?

updated 09:55 am EDT, Mon June 1, 2009

App redownloading charges?


Apple may be ready to start charging for redownloading iPhone apps, if only when using a mobile connection rather than a computer, a report observes. Although inconsistent, at least some users of the iPhone 3.0 beta claim to have seen a new dialog box when attempting to redownload, informing them that they will either have to pay for an app again or save money by going to their computer. The message does not appear for free apps, or updates to existing paid titles.

If enabled in the final firmware, the change may be an attempt not so much to control bandwidth as the abuse of multiple iTunes accounts. iPhone 2.x users can easily share apps, currently, by switching to the appropriate account on their handheld before downloading. While convenient for families, Apple may think of the technique as a loophole depriving it of App Store revenue. The service has been profitable, but not as much as might be imagined.


by MacNN Staff

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TAGS : 

iPod, iPhone, iPod touch, iPhone apps, Apple

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Comments

  1. Zaren

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    06/01, 10:17am | report spam | Reply |

    Already saw this message

    I'm getting a Touch soon, so I'm downloading apps for it already. I downloaded some to my work Macbook, and then thought better of it and tried downloading them on my personal G5 tower. I got that same message when trying to d/l an app on the tower that I already downloaded on the Macbook. The tower's running 10.5.6 with iTunes 8.1.

  1. Zaren

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    06/01, 10:34am | report spam | Reply |

    Oh, also...

    I haven't downloaded any paid apps; I got that message trying to download Stanza to my desktop after putting it on the Macbook.

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -6
    06/01, 10:34am | report spam | Reply |

    or...

    it could be a bug.

    And what kind of kickback deal does Apple have with its carriers that it gets to charge for the apps again when over a data connection? Or is this just some request by ATT to apple to ease congestion on its data services for those 3 times a day an app is re-downloaded?

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -3
    06/01, 10:36am | report spam | Reply |

    Zaren

    None of that sounds right, as you're on your computer. Why exactly would they tell you to go to your computer to redownload it if you are already on it?

    It really does sound more like a bug than anything else.

  1. PookJP

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Jan 2001

    0
    06/01, 11:12am | report spam | (1 reply) Reply |

    Why??

    What would the rationale be behind this?

  1. JeffHarris

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 1999

    +2
    06/01, 11:19am | report spam | (1 reply) Reply |

    It's a FEATURE!

    I've deleted apps from my iPod touch and my Mac, then decided to reinstall them later. I get the "buy again" dialogue. No big deal.

    My concern (I don't have an iPhone) would be that let's say you're on the road and for some reason you need to restore your device, apps and all, and you're on 3G. Even when you log onto the App Store with your account you'll have to repurchase all your apps?? That just doesn't sound right. That's why we have App Store accounts, right?

    On a side note... now that music DRM on the iTunes Store is mostly gone, when will Apple officially allow iTunes to transfer NON-DRM music from my iPod to my Mac? Or is this some irritating anti-piracy concession Apple had to make in order to cut deals with record companies back in the dark DRM days?

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -5
    06/01, 12:01pm | report spam | Reply |

    Re: Its a feature

    How is now being told you need to rebuy your apps again a feature? And why is this being done only on the device, but not from the computer a 'feature'?

  1. ff11

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2004

    -1
    06/01, 04:44pm | report spam | Reply |

    Re: Its a feature

    I know at least when it comes to music, you are warned to make a back-up, because re-downloading will cost. I don't particularly like the policy, but it's not a new concept.

    I also don't find it outrageous. I lost it, so it doesn't seem patently unfair that I should have to re-buy it. That said, I think they would keep their customers happier if they provided this service for free.

  1. simonm

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2007

    +1
    06/02, 06:22am | report spam | Reply |

    title

    Maybe this is more of an issue in the US because of your unlimited data plans on cellular. In Australia we have pretty crappy data plans so users end up paying for re-downloading apps anyway because it goes onto your download quota. I can't imagine that people re-downloading apps is that big a drain compared to the cost of offering all the free apps! It just doesn't seem to make any sense.

    Also it's possible to have an iPhone and not have a computer. I know several people in this camp. I am currently between Macs and I came across an app that just would not work any time I tried to load it because it had somehow got corrupted (a known issue with the developer). The only solution was to delete it and re-download it. It'd be a pain if it had have been an expensive app and they wanted to charge me for what was only a few hundred kilobytes...

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    06/02, 01:07pm | report spam | Reply |

    anti-piracy

    Apparently to another article, it's all about piracy and illegal sharing...

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