Any one else think alot of people are going to get rich with the sdk?

[Small White Car]

I think you are underestimating the psychology of "Pay" vs. "Free". Even at just a few bucks, a for pay app will get a fraction of the users the same app would get if it were offered for free. A lot of small time developers even feel that they are contributing to the community by creating free apps. Unless Apple creates an artificial bottleneck for the free apps, there will likely be no problem finding free versions of any app you are looking for.

No no no! You're forgetting the way the iTunes store works! You're always logged in...it's easy to just buy a song on a whim.

Software will be the same.

I would NEVER put my credit card in some small website to buy an app for $1.99. It just wouldn't happen. I WOULD very easily click on a $1.99 item in the iTunes store without much thought. No question.

So there are a LOT of free apps out online that are really worth $2, but the developers can't charge that normally online. So they make it free and just forget about it. With the iTunes store they CAN charge $2 and still sell a lot of them. I know I'm not alone in my "I buy impulse purchases on iTunes but not the web" lifestyle.

And that's a GOOD thing! Lots of free apps don't get many updates (if at all). If they're bringing in money from it you'd better believe they'll keep updating to stay ahead of the competition!

I think we'll see a lot more $1 and $2 apps than free ones. And not because of Apple...it will just work out that way for the reasons I listed.

And that's great news! It's not much money but it will result in FAR superior apps!

EDIT: Similar point here:
http://mooseyard.com/Jens/2008/03/the-beauty-of-99¢-iphone-apps/
Basically, the web was SUPPOSED to work on micro-payments, but no-one could make it work. On iTunes, it's possible. iTunes can be what the web wanted to be, but never worked out.

 

[marksman]

Small White Car has it right. Big difference between having to fill out full contact and billing information, credit card and processing for each unknown software author so they can get their $2, than it is to essentially click one button in the Apps Store where your information already exists and payment is handled seamlessly.

 

[OzExige]

Ahh you're all a little myopic - NO OFENCE - honest

Small White Car has it right. Big difference between having to fill out full contact and billing information, credit card and processing for each unknown software author so they can get their $2, than it is to essentially click one button in the Apps Store where your information already exists and payment is handled seamlessly.

In your homeland (luv it, been there many times there is a base of maybe 10M IPhone users, what about the IPod touch users, like us. We only have to carry our 3G phone and our 'ITouch' (think I'll register that name?) and we have the best of both worlds. Speaking of the world, there are millions of us holding out on our next 'smart'-phone purchase and we all want 3-axis games and business apps and we all want to program.

Have fun everyone, the world is Apple's oyster.

 

[snook911]

so do you think there will be an approval process or anybody who creates am app and pays the 99 bucks can post there app ok iTunes.

 

[kdarling]

Small White Car has it right. Big difference between having to fill out full contact and billing information, credit card and processing for each unknown software author so they can get their $2, than it is to essentially click one button in the Apps Store where your information already exists and payment is handled seamlessly.

And that's why zillions of us also have PayPal and Amazon accounts and bought stuff virtually the same way.

But yes, being able to click an on-device button and buy is extra simple. What if you loan your phone to someone? I assume it'll need a password to buy?

 

[oldimac]

I think Apple (to be fair) needs to post every new App at the top and then just let it slide down like this forum. Those that are interesting and people reply to stay on top and the ones that aren't to interesting or get "worn out" start to just slide down the page and eventually go to page 2, then 3, etc.

How do you all think Apple will do this? Like I stated above or some other way? And how do you all THINK Apple should do this? I would be very interested.