What is very interesting is the number of people who get angry over apps charging essentially anything. I can see disappointment, sure, if you really think you can't afford a particular app, but anger?
Where does the anger come from? What must this user expect out of the app store that asking for remuneration leads to flaming comments in the reviews?
The only things I can figure is that there must be some sort of default assumption of freeness. Does the user believe the apps to be coming from Apple/Google/ATT/Verizon/etc, and feels jilted that they are paying for their service and an "incomplete" device [1]? Or does the user believe the apps to be coming from other users, that apps are no more complex to develop than images are to share on Pinterest? Even that feels like a stretch.
I don't know. Have there been any studies on this? Any insights from experienced app publishers here? I think this is a really important question to answer, because otherwise I don't think we're ever going to properly monetize apps, if there is such a fundamental disconnect between developers and users on how the app ecosystem is viewed.
Very well said. Completely agree on the "angry" part - I've experienced that with my own app ($2.99). The hateful things that people write are mind boggling! It costs less than a Starbucks coffee yet they feel like I've robbed them blind. My theory is that the "race to the bottom" that occurred years ago when the app stores began are to blame - as developers/companies we had a chance to establish appropriate expectations but blew it. From here, it's an uphill battle but I think sticking to our guns (charging for apps) and educating friends/family about the true costs/work effort behind apps is a great first step.
Is that enough to account for anger, though? What is going through these folk's heads to skip right past dismissal and go straight to hate? Hate and anger are usually reactions out of insecurity.
And unfortunately, I think "sticking to your guns" on this subject just puts you in a sort of prisoner's dilemma with the other app developers.
Where does the anger come from? What must this user expect out of the app store that asking for remuneration leads to flaming comments in the reviews?
The only things I can figure is that there must be some sort of default assumption of freeness. Does the user believe the apps to be coming from Apple/Google/ATT/Verizon/etc, and feels jilted that they are paying for their service and an "incomplete" device [1]? Or does the user believe the apps to be coming from other users, that apps are no more complex to develop than images are to share on Pinterest? Even that feels like a stretch.
I don't know. Have there been any studies on this? Any insights from experienced app publishers here? I think this is a really important question to answer, because otherwise I don't think we're ever going to properly monetize apps, if there is such a fundamental disconnect between developers and users on how the app ecosystem is viewed.
[1] default builds are pretty underwhelming.