Microsoft has an important message for Windows Mobile developers: don't worry about hitting the 99 cent price point. This message comes out of a series of developer camps in Redmond where Microsoft is stressing that developers price premium applications based on value, instead of the common standard of the iTunes App Store. Loke Uei of Microsoft's Mobile Developer Team put it bluntly saying "99 cents, come on, I think your app is worth more than that."Developers are getting ready for the launch of the Windows Marketplace for Mobile this fall. Windows Marketplace does have a series of features which will help the larger priced applications bloom including trial versions and a return policy. One of the complaints to the iTunes store is there is generally no way to try before you buy, except using a second application made by the developer as a totally free edition.
99 cents is a price point that basically created an industry. For all of the garbage available on the iTunes App Store there are real steals as well. Looking at the economics it's estimated Apple has made about $171 million from mobile applications, with total sales in the billions.
Microsoft is not alone in suggesting higher prices for mobile apps. Palm announced earlier this month it wants to make sure the best applications are highlighted, not the cheapest, and is looking into doing things differently. RIM with its BlackBerry App World has a required minimum app price of $2.99 to prevent its store from being cluttered with .99 cent apps, so Microsoft is not definitely not alone. In the end however, without setting a minimum price like RIM, it's all up to developers how they price their apps, so only time will tell.
EDIT: I need to make this point, I own a Wii myself, and wish there were more good games to play on it. It's why I bought an Xbox as well.
Same here man, same here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opTfPmN0YEM
/right after they finish excitedly telling stories about this new lingo they learned on the interwebs with acronyms for laughing out loud and being away from the keyboard
I own a BlackBerry, and yes, that's exactly what happens. MS, keep the minimum at 99 cents please. XD
You are right, the iphone developer who was just banned, with over 1000 apps, charged $4.99 an app. He new he wouldn't sell a lot, but with loads of apps on there, he only needed to sell a few of each. The price is no guarantee.
The question is, will Microsoft ban such developers as well, or will it be more open? I bet that same guy is working on apps for new Microsoft platform as well.
YES
You mean like they do now? Lol
You can only Review and Rate an application if you Purchase* and install it.
*If it is Free then you don't need to purchase it to review it but you still need to download and install it first.
it has it share of crap applications
that's what MS is trying to avoid. not letting good apps sit at the same level as other crap ads. if the devs have put in the effort to make a great app, then they deserve more than 99cents for it. a good rating system will help in this scenario which the itunes lack right now.
That's the thing. Developers CHOOSE to sell their apps for 99 cents. You can still have crap apps that cost more (which there are on the app store).
Some of the stuff I wouldn't have even thought of buying if they were 2.99 or 3.99 or more.
People that use cracked apps on their Iphone however, will probably always go for the cracked version, no matter how low the price.
If Microsoft is doing this, I think it would be a good idea if there was a chance to return the application for the original amount paid, within a certain time period (like 2-3 days). Of course it has to be wiped off your phone, and you can't ever do a 'trial run' again. I'd hate to buy an application, find out it's not worth it, and can't get a refund.
I've read a lot of people have said this is a good move because the Apple App Store is crowded with crapware in the 99c band...but surely this will only lead to the crapware that would have been $0.99 being priced at $2.99. Sure, it may deter some developers but if the ports easy enough for these really basic apps then I don't think they will be deterred by the higher base price if porting the app only takes a few hours anyway.
Thats ignoring the fact that not all $0.99 apps are crap however they may not necessarily be as appealing at a higher price point.
Wow. Deep.
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