While it makes sense to me that google would want to disallow people from offering a free version in the market and then selling a paid version on their own site without the commission going to google, the idea that developers can't distribute a free version and then charge for "content" seems like an overbroad restriction. For instance: if amazon offers their mp3 store app for free but charges money to download songs into it, is that a violation of the terms? Would they be forced to first charge their users for the download in order to then charge them to purchase music? That seems like a pretty crappy deal for the user.
Or alternately, what if someone writes an app that plays mp3s and then runs a site that sells mp3s? Can they not offer the app for free in the android market? I think the actual distribution agreement is vague in this case, and an interpretation that prevents developers from charging for content seems to forbid a business model that makes a lot of sense. -Rev. Johnny Healey On Feb 17, 7:09 pm, "David McLaughlin (Android Advocate)" <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > > You may not add a price to an existing app; instead, you will need to > upload a new application version and add a price to that. Section 3.3 > states that people who download a free app can not be charged at a > later date for what they have already downloaded. For example, they > can't be charged an ongoing subscription fee for additional content. > However, the user can be redirected back to the market to download a > "full" version (this would be considered a different version) for a > price. > > Thanks, > David > > On Feb 17, 12:12 pm, Jay-andro <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I have a free app on the Market. With paid support finally arriving, I > > want to be able to charge for my app. I have readied a new version > > that includes new features. Can I publish this as a version 2.0 and > > charge for it including to existing users? > > >http://market.android.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=138412&topic=1... > > says: > > Please keep in mind, that in accordance with section 3.3 in the > > Developer Distribution Agreement, any users who installed the free > > version of your application are entitled to upgrades of that free > > version for no extra charge. > > > However The Distribution Agreement 3.3 says: > > You may not collect future charges from users for copies of the > > Products that those users were initially allowed to download for > > free. > > This is not intended to prevent distribution of free trial versions of > > the Product with an “upsell” option to obtain the full version of the > > Product: Such free trials for Products are encouraged. > > ----- > > If I release an upgrade that has new features, that is not "copies of > > the Product that users initially downloaded". It is not a copy, it is > > a new changed version. I should be able to charge for a version that > > has new features. But Google seems to want to disallow that citing > > 3.3 > > which doesn't disallow it in my view. > > > Can I charge existing users for upgrades to a version with new > > features? > > How do you other developers view this and what are you planning on > > doing? > > Jay --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
