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Apple to Start Charging for Re-Downloading Apps Over-the-Air?

I thought the whole point of the iPhone was that it is convenient to not need multiple devices in order to get something done. By forcing users to go to their computer and sync with iTunes they are being anything but convenient and easy to use. It makes even less sense when you look at the fact that Apple limits how many apps you can have on your phone at any given time.

Hopefully this doesn't happen, I think it would be a really stupid move by Apple.
 
bstreiff said:
Lame.

As far as validating it, aren't applications tied to the account anyway? Why not only permit running applications that belong to the 'current' account? This way if User B downloads the app using User A's login info, he has to be logged in as User A in order to use that app, but has to switch back to User B if he wants to use any of his other ones. This gets annoying real fast; thus you deter people from trying to abuse the system while not screwing the people who are behaving.
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You don't have to be logged in your apple account to use your app on the iphone, so I am afraid this scenario (although a good idea) doesn't work.


I don't like this that much either but what else could they do as a workaround, there's an issue here for sure.
 
On top of this their app management system is still lacking. My computer still has all my old deleted apps but they are unchecked. It's really annoying.

Anyhow, this is stupid but it's cool for the developers because they get more money. I'm sure there is a better way to manage this.
 
iphones4evry1 said:
I've always been annoyed by this. If I purchase something on my computer through iTunes but haven't synced my phone, or vice versa, I wish Apple would automatically update the other device, or allow me to manually update it. For example, numerous times I have had a song on my iTunes but been away from my computer and had to buy it a second time to play it on my phone without having to go home and sync my phone.

As far as syncing to only one computer, I see people at school (college) connecting their phones to the public computers all the time. I'm not sure, but I think they've figured out how to use it as a flash drive also (does anyone know how to do this? It would be great if Apple could build that into the OS 3.0 to allow us to use our iPhones to double as usb flash drives).
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This has been a function on the iPods for awhile its when you allow manuel syncing or whatever its called i cant think of it at this moment.
 
This is perfectly fair and understandable. We should consider ourselves lucky for not having to pay to redownload an app anywhere, even at home. Bandwidth costs money and I can see people abusing Apple's goodwill.
 
miketcool said:
Don't feel bad, it is a pretty unbelievable thing. It'd be nice to see one of the iPhone competitors exploit this. Charging you to save bandwidth? Come on, why bother getting a data plan.
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Part of it will be to save Apple's bandwidth. There are lots of people who delete apps from their phones to clear screens and then download them again if they need it at a later time.

It will be inconvenient for them but it saves Apple from being a virtual server.

I can see where Apple are coming from.
 
Question I have to ask though is why would you let someone else log into your iPhone/iPod touch anyway to download something?

I've found myself in that situation nor would I let someone do it.
 
I've had to do this a couple times. Some updates of FTPtoGo went bad and the only fix was to delete and re-download. I've had to fix Facebook's app the same way a few times.

Not so much recently though, as updates are getting smarter, but still has been needed.
 
caliguy said:
Err, big deal. I don't think this will ever become an annoyance to me. If it prevents an illegal act, so be it. I've never had to re-download an app, anyway.
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I do it all the time. When I sync music, I plug in. I download podcasts from the store. I often delete apps when I don't need them to save room, but my town has 3G pretty much everywhere, so I download them when I need them. I would hate this "feature."
 
Minimoose 360 said:
Ehh, not that big a deal as long as there is a way to still download them for free again.

Next
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Agreed. If you have a computer you're using to sync to your iPhone you can re-download whatever you need. Only the pirates need gnash their teeth here.

:apple:
 
Big deal. Log on to your computer and re-download an app if you need it. Or better manage your apps.

Only people crying about this are the ones who are likely to circumvent matters for illegal downloads anyways.
 
This is a huge deal for me! I constantly delete apps and re-add them at a later time constantly.

I use itunes for App syncing absolutely 0% of the time. I use the OTA for all my app management. This is hugely disappointing that apple would consider doing this.
 
Yet another way to weazel money from the consumer. -5 to Apple for this one.
 
This will definitely be annoying

While I don't disagree with the mission of the movement, namely the reduction of piracy with apps, I will definitely be inconvenienced. I delete apps just because I don't use them often. That doesn't mean that I disown them, I just don't use them often. If at some point in the future they add more functionality or change so that I can use them, I will install them again.

I've been annoyed for as long as I've had my iPhone that whenever I go to re-download apps on the store, the initial button says that I am "buying" the app, when in fact I own it and will be downloading it for free. I would really appreciate it if they changed their system so that the app store would say whether the app can be re-downloaded for free or not.

At the very least, I would expect a change in functionality of desktop iTunes functionality that allowed you to find ALL apps you have purchased and download them, rather than hoping on a wing and prayer that you have already paid for something, only to be told after the download whether or not it is actually free.

If communication improves, I wouldn't be necessarily opposed. If it doesn't, I'm going to be really pissed. Adding more inconveniences to an already annoying re-downloading system.
 
Adisah said:
On top of this their app management system is still lacking. My computer still has all my old deleted apps but they are unchecked. It's really annoying.
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So select the ones you don't want anymore in iTunes and hit the Delete key then.
Problem solved.
 
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