in-app purchases have become a sort of well-intended scourge: they're great if you're looking to add on features to an already great product, but some people just want a single standalone experience. in some cases, in-app purchases take away from this 'complete' experience by charging for subsequent experiences that add little.
a good example: Hipstamatic's consistently good (monthly) release of Hipstapaks.
a bad example: Kim Kardashian: Hollywood
don't even get me started on terrible apps that charge 4.99 for addons.
in-app purchases, bottom line, can take away from the completeness of a well-crafted app.
As an app developer there is one massive problem with the Apple payment system. At the minute If I develop and application lets say app 2016 with all the features and then next year I want to create the 2017 version of it all those who have already purchased the older version get the latest version for free.
Now to get around this problem I can create a "Brand New App" and call it app 2017 but I may not get all my older customers migrating to the new version and I also lose out on all the ASO work currently done. So I am left with the option of using IAP so that individuals can purchase extra features.
If Apple could find a way of allowing a developer to release an App with no IAPs but give the option of charging for an update then that would help to solve the problem.
Nice idea by the way, there will be individuals out there that will only want to download apps that don't offer IAPs.
@oliver_rice I understand the issues you have highlighted. Perhaps if more people are interested in no IAPs, companies may rethink their strategies. Thanks for the positive feedback, hopefully the idea takes off.
Apps Without Purchases
Apps Without Purchases
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Apps Without Purchases