I’m definitely old-school when it comes to my consumer habits — I’d much prefer saving my money and buying something solid, something quality, and then taking care of it than buying cheap and replacing things often. This sensibility spills into my iOS app experience where I’m loathe to download free apps that then irritate, cajole, or trick me into making in-app purchases. Isn’t there some decency in the model that let’s you “try it before you buy it?” There is, but all-too often we’re more likely to get sucked into the laws of millions where high volume trumps decency and common sense: If you can game the system and people’s perceptions into generating gobs of downloads, you’ll find the relatively small number of people willing to pay (or unable to stop themselves) for a lousy app or game.
For a more in-depth riff on the issue, check out my opinion piece on “Why Free Apps Turn Me Off.”
