{"id":47742,"date":"2009-11-24T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2009-11-24T17:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theappleblog.com\/?p=36266"},"modified":"2009-11-24T12:00:25","modified_gmt":"2009-11-24T17:00:25","slug":"should-the-app-store-let-you-demo-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/47742","title":{"rendered":"Should the App Store Let You Demo Apps?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Recently, here at TheAppleBlog, we made some backstage changes. Over time we realized that Socialcast<\/a> was great for sharing and discussing ideas, but not ideal for handling business related tasks. As a result, we made the jump over to Basecamp<\/a>. It doesn’t have the microblog feel of Socialcast, but it’s definitely easier to organize and communicate.<\/p>\n

When we made the switch, my first thought was “I wonder if there are any iPhone apps for Basecamp!” A quick search in the Store reveals 17<\/strong> Basecamp related apps ranging in price from free to $12.99. As a potential buyer, how can I possibly decide which one is the best value? <\/span><\/p>\n

One of my issues with the app store is that ratings are very inconsistent. A few complaints over accidental crashes can definitely skew a score, and screenshots really don’t help me understand<\/em> the app’s look and feel. I need to click around and play a little before I decide the fate of an app’s life on my iPhone.<\/p>\n

My question is: why won’t Apple allow me to try an app before I buy it? The availability countdown works great for content rented from the store like movies. I can play all I want for 24 hours, and then it’s deactivated. That would be ideal for apps too. I download it, see how it works, and after some time the app prompts me to purchase when launched. The prompt has a link to the app’s page in the store and I can make my decision. This is often how it’s done on the desktop. Why not the iPhone?<\/p>\n

As for Basecamp, I ended up sticking with the free version of Sherpa<\/a>. It covers the basics and it doesn’t crash. I would prefer to try them all, but that’s impossible. For now…<\/p>\n

So, what do you think? Should Apple implement a trial period on all for-pay apps?<\/strong> What do you think are the pros and cons?<\/p>\n

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