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Paid iOS Updates

M

MattXDA

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2014
478
470
UK
iOS software could benefit from going back to the paid model, with each major revision costing around £20/$30. This would mean that more money could be put into software advancement. It also means that each revision would have more meaningful changes as there would need to be public motivation to update to the latest version.

Thoughts?
 
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How about 1 year of free upgrades when you purchase a phone, but only the “Edition” model. Let the poors with their peasant iPhones pay for development. Make Apple Great Again!
 
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MattXDA said:
iOS software could benefit from going back to the paid model, with each major revision costing around £20/$30. This would mean that more money could be put into software advancement. It also means that each revision would have more meaningful changes as there would need to be public motivation to update to the latest version.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


You should be banned from the internet altogether for coming up with such a ridiculous idea! Do you not care about money and want to throw yours away on the most asinine things? Sounds like it. You must also back how the console makers charge you to play on the internet even if you pay for the internet already.

Please shut the door behind you!
 
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Unsurprisingly, no I don't agree - fragmentation and all that.

Do think it would be a good idea to move out to new versions every other year though, really polish them up in the interim. They are almost changing things for the sake of changing them now. Obviously you'd have new point versions to cover hardware features (such as the new iPhone and it's gesture based UI)
 
MattXDA said:
iOS software could benefit from going back to the paid model, with each major revision costing around £20/$30. This would mean that more money could be put into software advancement. It also means that each revision would have more meaningful changes as there would need to be public motivation to update to the latest version.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Wtf you talking about
 
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As if they are going to change their minds as to what they implement in their ios if you pay for it or not. Makes no sense at all. You thinking paying someone to do something they never done.
 
Perhaps apple just get on gofundme to get a few quid to put towards iOS development. Sometimes I really struggle to tell what is a wind up on here and what is just the rantings of crazy people.

Apple are one of the richest companies in the world. Not only in business value but they have huge cash reserves. The price you pay for an iDevice includes the cost of the software and its development for the lifetime of that products which is usually 5 years or so. Removing the charge for updates to OSX was one of the best decisions apple have made software wise in a long time.
 
I don't think Apple has financials restrictions on software advancement.

Why would they charge money to create a further public expectation for themselves?
 
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If Apple had enough money then they wouldn’t charge so much for the devices
 
MattXDA said:
iOS software could benefit from going back to the paid model, with each major revision costing around £20/$30. This would mean that more money could be put into software advancement. It also means that each revision would have more meaningful changes as there would need to be public motivation to update to the latest version.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Sure…let's go with this iOS marketing model.

Only…Apple gives me the features I'm really asking for and not what they want to call a feature and push on me.

In order to make this attractive Apple's going to have to provide a serious alternative to jailbreaking. No more ripping off JB devs with half-assed implementation of their tweaks and then calling it a feature.

Give me that and I'd be onboard.

Another thought and probably one you didn't consider. Piracy. Charging for iOS means someone's going to try and make it available for free.
 
MattXDA said:
iOS software could benefit from going back to the paid model, with each major revision costing around £20/$30. This would mean that more money could be put into software advancement. It also means that each revision would have more meaningful changes as there would need to be public motivation to update to the latest version.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? Even Microsoft has moved away from charging from updates.

There are a number of flaws with this idea. First, people never go for having to pay for something that they are accustomed to getting for free. It's way too late in the game for Apple to do this now. Second, lack of funds is not the limiting factor in Apple's software development. Third, companies make their money these days by getting people into their ecosystems, then getting them to pay for services, apps, and products that support it. Making people pay will drive them to the free competition, ie. Android.
 
joeblow7777 said:
Are you kidding? Even Microsoft has moved away from charging from updates.

There are a number of flaws with this idea. First, people never go for having to pay for something that they are accustomed to getting for free. It's way too late in the game for Apple to do this now. Second, lack of funds is not the limiting factor in Apple's software development. Third, companies make their money these days by getting people into their ecosystems, then getting them to pay for services, apps, and products that support it. Making people pay will drive them to the free competition, ie. Android.
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Not to mention the fragmentation when 70% of people refuse to pay for the upgrade from the version their phone/ iPad/ iPod shipped with... no more android comparisons at WWDC!
 
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MattXDA said:
If Apple had enough money then they wouldn’t charge so much for the devices
Click to expand...

I read a lot of your threads recently, you have some interesting thoughts to say the least. But this does not make any logical sense. Apple puts their user in a position to make their devices a better experience and charging for iOS updates does not maKe the experience any better considering how many updates they provide on an annual basis.
 
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No. No no no no no. That's a great way to get everyone to switch to Android.

Apple has more cash-on-hand than some small countries. Any software problems that occur have absolutely nothing to do wth how much money Apple has available.
 
Newtons Apple said:
Surely you know that Apple has so much money because of what they charge for the devices. They deliver a premium product that the people are willing to pay more for. If you do not want to pay a lot get an Android device. You can find them for under $100:p
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People are willing to pay a lot of money…to look like they have a lot of money…even if they don't. :)
 
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MattXDA said:
If Apple had enough money then they wouldn’t charge so much for the devices
Click to expand...
One reason the devices cost more is because you're paying for the years of iOS support/ updates rolled into the cost of the device...
 
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