Taipei government pressuring Apple and Google to allow free trials for apps

[Poagao]

If developers move away from iTunes Taiwan, how difficult is it for Taiwanese customers to buy apps from US iTunes?

I can download and use the free apps if I re-sign in under a US account, but as I don't have a US credit card, I can't buy anything. I hear you can get and use gift certificates, but that sounds like a lot of trouble.

[GuyInTaiwan]

They needn't pull out of Taiwan. This law is from Taipei City Council, right? Why not just set up shop elsewhere, say Taoyuan. Play the local governments off against each other.

[Jaboney]

There ought to be some sort of trial period. Android had a significant window then reduced the duration. Apple ought to give users some window: even an hour. For those offering odd analogies as argument, well, I try on shoes before buying.

The Mac Rumours website has picked up the story, mostly drawing on sources cited here.

(And I've got to thank the gov't for pressuring Apple to honour its ridiculously low-priced Mac Mini online offering last year. That was a sweet deal.)

[Adam_CLO]

They needn't pull out of Taiwan. This law is from Taipei City Council, right? Why not just set up shop elsewhere, say Taoyuan. Play the local governments off against each other.

Taiwan falls into a single region so it's all of Taiwan or none of Taiwan.

[GuyInTaiwan]

Isn't it the Taipei City Council that's doing this though? Would the Taoyuan County government do it? If not, then why not simply set up shop there?

[Adam_CLO]

There ought to be some sort of trial period. Android had a significant window then reduced the duration. Apple ought to give users some window: even an hour. For those offering odd analogies as argument, well, I try on shoes before buying.

I think there is more chance of an app not working on your Android device than there is of an app not working on your iOS device, which is probably the main reason why Google offers a 15 minute refund policy, down from the previous 24 hour policy. People were probably abusing the system when it was 24 hours. I would imagine even more abuse if it was raised to a week.

Here is a dated survey that shows only 30% of paid apps were used after the first day. Imagine what the drop off rate must be after a week. That means 70%+ of apps could be refunded if the users took the time to go through the process!

[Hartzell]

People were probably abusing the system when it was 24 hours. I would imagine even more abuse if it was raised to a week.

What sort of abuse is happening? I can't fathom it.

You download an application and use it for a couple days. You find that it has numerous design flaws. So you stop using it. After seven days you decide not to submit your credit card information to enable payment, and the application stops working.

What's the problem with that??

[CraigTPE]

What sort of abuse is happening? I can't fathom it.

You download an application and use it for a couple days. You find that it has numerous design flaws. So you stop using it. After seven days you decide not to submit your credit card information to enable payment, and the application stops working.

What's the problem with that??

Piracy, I suspect. Download the app, copy it to SD or to your computer, refund it, re-install it from SD. Pitfall of an open system.

As long as Google is clear about their refund policy and have disclosed that they are not responsible for the app, the developer is, then the consumer has the choice to buy it there or not. Android apps are available from a multitude of sources. There is no way Taipei or Taiwan is going to chase all them down.

Politicians pandering to voters........

[Adam_CLO]

You download an application and use it for a couple days. You find that it has numerous design flaws. So you stop using it. After seven days you decide not to submit your credit card information to enable payment, and the application stops working.

What's the problem with that??

Most apps that people download are games or hacks with limited appeal beyond a few days, leave alone a week. People delete and move on, not because of any design flaws, but because of the low cost and large variety of apps out there, along with the limited storage space of devices.

Politicians pandering to voters........

If Google ends up keeping the main paid market in Taiwan closed, then it seems that the voters are losing.

[CraigTPE]

Most apps that people download are games or hacks with limited appeal beyond a few days, leave alone a week. People delete and move on, not because of any design flaws, but because of the low cost and large variety of apps out there, along with the limited storage space of devices.

Which sort of begs the question of why bother. I mean the apps are a couple bucks. Hell, people piss more money than that buying a Slurpee at 7-11 that lasts less than 15 minutes.

If Google ends up keeping the main paid market in Taiwan closed, then it seems that the voters are losing.

It's a game of chicken and the government wants to gain face by challenging Google. They will work something out.

Frankly, in my own limited experience, the only people I know here who buy the apps anyway are foreigners. All the Taiwanese I know who have Android phones only use free apps. I realize that's not a large sample, but just saying.....