Why are we so app cheap?

[magomago]

The many reasons listed are valid here.

I think another point is that many PC applications are already free and our culture is carried over. Yup I did pay for ms office, but I also have Libre Office and use that more often. Chrome and Firefox are free for me as well; Youtube is free as well. Some guys, like DOTA2, are also entirely free. That said, I do have my fair share of Steam, and I have an Adobe CC subscription, but that is really it.

Carrying that culture over to the Phone results in a similar experience: the only app I've purchased is TeamSpeak because its convenient on the smartphone. I also have spotify premium because its worth it for me. All other apps that I use daily fall into the 'free' category: Chrome, Hangouts, Youtube, Camera, MapMyRide, and the above mentioned apps is what I use my smartphone for 95% of the time.

 

[Uppsala9496]

App cheap here. Still have some $12 in google credit for app only purchases sitting in my account for the past 12 months and $5 in app credit to amazon from christmas.

Just never see anything that makes me want to spend the money.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Windows Phone's trial system has made me less cheap. In iOS, there's no way to test out an app unless the publisher decides to provide a free version, and they often don't. In Android, you get just 15 minutes to do a refund. But in Windows Phone, nearly all apps offer a free trial, and publishers can decide how restricted (or unrestricted) those trials will be. It's nice being able to use an app for a few days and then deciding whether I want to buy it or not. When you buy a few bad apps on iOS or Android, you get overly cautious about ever buying one again.

 

[HeXen]

No problems paying for apps so long as it's useful to me. I just hate when an app doesn't turn out to be what I thought. I purchased iPhoto for my MBPro for $10 and I don't care for it's functions and it's a bit lacking in editing features. Free ones on Windows like Paint.net were much better imo.

 

[sweenish]

I'd call myself app frugal.

I try to wait for sales, and only ever buy an average of 1 app/month IF there are actually apps I want.

I'm only stingy because the amounts are so small it'd be very easy to lose track and rack up a significant cost in a short period of time.

There were some apps that were simply day one purchases, though. Bloons TD5 and Ridiculous Fishing come to mind. Just picked up Link Bubble Pro.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I'm cheap on a lot of stupid things. I can spend $12 on a shitty Jack and Coke at a club but I have to seriously contemplate $20 for 6 pairs of socks I need lol.

 

[trmiv]

I buy apps, but I have far too many apps I've paid for and then barely used. So I've become more app gun-shy than app cheap now. I really have to ask myself if I'm going to use the damn thing.

 

[shortylickens]

I'm cheap on a lot of stupid things. I can spend $12 on a shitty Jack and Coke at a club but I have to seriously contemplate $20 for 6 pairs of socks I need lol.

I dont.

Learned a long time ago that good clothing is a fine investment, especially underwear. All my shorts and socks are high quality and good brands. They cost a little more but are worth it.
I NEVER run around in torn socks or worn out skivvies. To me thats just gross.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I dont.

Learned a long time ago that good clothing is a fine investment, especially underwear. All my shorts and socks are high quality and good brands. They cost a little more but are worth it.
I NEVER run around in torn socks or worn out skivvies. To me thats just gross.

I know I ended up buying them anyways and its a world of difference. The fact that my mind stops me before I buy is annoying lol.

 

[HeXen]

I dont.

Learned a long time ago that good clothing is a fine investment, especially underwear. All my shorts and socks are high quality and good brands. They cost a little more but are worth it.
I NEVER run around in torn socks or worn out skivvies. To me thats just gross.

Style'n and profile'n, judgement from others is important and can sometimes be life changing if you make the right impressions to the right people. Even a casual trip to Walmart should yield casual, properly attired apparel with presentable and approachable aesthetics that tells people, you have some class and are normal at the very least.

That said it astounds me how many people cannot dress themselves properly. Mismatched clothes, saggy, wrinkled up, pajama pants or those that don't know what the bill of their hat was really designed for...some can't even tie their shoes. Some would say it's the trend or style of the month with all the cool kids but yet it will present ignorance just the same.
It just oozes laziness with pure ghetto class.

 

[cronos]

I used to be app-frugal but I've been splurging for apps ever since I got my $25 credit from HTC One last year, $25 credit from Samsung Note 8 a couple of months ago, and probably a total of $5-ish from the Google Survey thing.

I still haven't been able to use it all up even though I bought an app whenever I thought it looked interesting. I think there's like $18 still left on my credit, and once a week I got 10c or more from the Survey!

 

[Bateluer]

On the other hand, I freaking hate the in-app purchase model, especially when its clearly set up just to siphon money off the unsuspecting. I think that trend is lowly. I'd much rather pay $6 or more for say a game and not be nagged for money to keep playing it. I'll gladly personally support devs that keep it upfront like that and avoid those that go for shady in-app schemes.

QFT.

I actively avoid games that have the InApp purchases tag on them now.

Remember when people were claiming that smartphones would override not only the handheld gaming market and the set top console market and the PC gaming market? And then all we got were ultra casualized, P2W trash filled with micro-transactions and paywalls.

 

[Belegost]

Having thought about it a bit, I think the main thing for me is use case.

I have a desktop, a couple laptops, and smartphone, so when I look at paying for an app on my phone, I find myself hesitating on the utility of the app when compared to an equivalent program running on a full laptop/desktop.

Overall I find, if it's something that I don't need available at any random place/time it's probably not worth paying for on my phone (or even downloading free for that matter.) And there's a rather small number of things I really need to have mobile, most of which are either built-in to the phone or free apps.

 

[shortylickens]

Style'n and profile'n, judgement from others is important and can sometimes be life changing if you make the right impressions to the right people. Even a casual trip to Walmart should yield casual, properly attired apparel with presentable and approachable aesthetics that tells people, you have some class and are normal at the very least.

That said it astounds me how many people cannot dress themselves properly. Mismatched clothes, saggy, wrinkled up, pajama pants or those that don't know what the bill of their hat was really designed for...some can't even tie their shoes. Some would say it's the trend or style of the month with all the cool kids but yet it will present ignorance just the same.
It just oozes laziness with pure ghetto class.

I dont even care how I look. I just like being comfortable. That costs a little more than cheap.

Same with phones. I dont care what people think of me, I just want the most effective tool. These days thats more about software than hardware. But I've learned theres plenty of free and cheap apps that can do what I need.


Something new I learned: Plugging in USB to charge a phone eventually wears out the port. From now on I only get phones with some alternative charging. For example the Sony Z series uses little metal pads on the side. They dont wear out as quickly. That will be my next phone.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Something new I learned: Plugging in USB to charge a phone eventually wears out the port. From now on I only get phones with some alternative charging. For example the Sony Z series uses little metal pads on the side. They dont wear out as quickly. That will be my next phone.

Or Qi charging. Or a replaceable battery and charger. Many options on that now

 

[paperwastage]

I dont even care how I look. I just like being comfortable. That costs a little more than cheap.

Same with phones. I dont care what people think of me, I just want the most effective tool. These days thats more about software than hardware. But I've learned theres plenty of free and cheap apps that can do what I need.


Something new I learned: Plugging in USB to charge a phone eventually wears out the port. From now on I only get phones with some alternative charging. For example the Sony Z series uses little metal pads on the side. They dont wear out as quickly. That will be my next phone.

well, microUSB is designed such that the port is stronger than the cable, and rather have the cable break before port breaking (and making your device useless)

 

[shortylickens]

I am using a replaceable batter, but the stupid back cover on my Note II isnt terribly strong. If I pop that open too many times its gonna break.

And my port is broken. It no longer charges the phone. Used many new cables. It didnt work.

 

[Zaap]

I am using a replaceable batter, but the stupid back cover on my Note II isnt terribly strong. If I pop that open too many times its gonna break.

So you can buy a stack of battery doors for a couple bucks. Even so, I've never had one "break" on me. (Or a mUSB port for that matter.)

 

[randomactsoftech]

I once paid $199 for an ipad app that allowed me to control moving lights for a concert I lit. Granted it was a business expense... still if its worth the money.. someone will buy it.

 

[Anubis]

I once paid $199 for an ipad app that allowed me to control moving lights for a concert I lit. Granted it was a business expense... still if its worth the money.. someone will buy it.

even if its not worth it people will buy it. A number of people purchased that $10,000 iphone app that did nothing besides say they purchased said ap.

 

[rh71]

Because there's so many that are FREE.

I finally spent $1 on Plex for Android (sale) and it was well worth it. Couldn't get anything to do what that does (control & chromecast my files from PC) plus it looks extremely nice as a streaming player on the android phone itself.

 

[shortylickens]

even if its not worth it people will buy it. A number of people purchased that $10,000 iphone app that did nothing besides say they purchased said ap.

Sounds like a typical Apple customer.




:awe:

 

[Kaido]

Or Qi charging. Or a replaceable battery and charger. Many options on that now

I have a Qi case for my iPhone & a charger next to my bed, in the center console of my car (velcro & USB charging port), and at work. I wish I'd had this technology years ago :thumbsup:

 

[Zaap]

Sounds like a typical Apple customer.




:awe:

Before we get too smug, Apple removed the "I Am Rich" app on day one.

Meanwhile look it up on the Play Store. Several copycats at the play store max $200: still there.

 

[Red Storm]

Because there's so many that are FREE.

I finally spent $1 on Plex for Android (sale) and it was well worth it. Couldn't get anything to do what that does (control & chromecast my files from PC) plus it looks extremely nice as a streaming player on the android phone itself.

There's a Chrome add-on that does it, called Videostreaming, and they have an Android remote app too.