Report: Serious App Store Pricing Error
February 19, 2011
For all its greatness, the App Store has always had one annoying flaw: Apple makes it difficult to check for past purchases. Unfortunately, a new service has made this all the more confusing, because it appears to have a costly flaw.
As a blog writer, I buy a lot of apps. Oftentimes, I delete the apps from my iDevice. Since Apple lets you download apps over and over again for free, I sometimes go a step further and delete them from iTunes too. This is probably a bad move on my part.
Checking past iTunes invoices is the only way to see which items were actually purchased. Unfortunately, Apple makes this process time consuming, since items are sorted by invoice date and not by the name of the app.
On iDevices only, Apple has tried to make checking for past purchases easier by adding a new feature. In the App Store, items previously purchased (but not installed) now include an install button, instead of one listing the purchase price.
However, according to Turtle Log, the feature is flawed. In rare instances, items never purchased are displaying the install button too.
Luckily, clicking on this button accidently takes you first to the app’s main screen where the app’s price is listed. You aren't actually charged for the app by clicking on the install button.
Still, let’s hope Apple addresses this flaw soon.
Better yet, Apple should give us a purchases page like we get in the Mac App Store.
What are your thoughts? Leave your comments below.
[Photo: Turtle Log]
