There’s a chap I know thatdo a lot of work with called Barnes. He’s a splendid chap, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and although he’s a big, big Microsoft fan, he owns an iPhone 3GS.
I’ve known the guy for a few months and we talk ‘mobile’ regularly. The subject of mobile applications has come up regularly and Barnes, a true iPhone fan, has no shortage of recommendations.
Seeing me getting annoyed with the mindless M4 traffic one day, Barnes suggested I check out the UK Highways Agency’s traffic app (iTunes link). I downloaded it right-away. It’s excellent — it tells me just how screwed the traffic is on my choice of roads.
The application was free — but then again, if it was chargeable, provided I could be persuaded it offered some kind of value for £0.59, I’d have downloaded without a further thought.
It turns out that Barnes isn’t quite the true iPhone fan I thought he was.
You see, he’s never actually purchased an application.
He can’t quite bring himself to do so. I was mildly appalled to find this out, especially given the fact he’s most definitely IT-literate and that he knows how to use his iPhone.
“I just haven’t seen anything worth paying for,” he explains.
“How about the National Rail train application?” I ask, trying to think of a paid-for application that is, for many iPhone commuters, utterly critical.
“I drive to work,” he replies.
I was stumped, but decided to keep on going.
“You haven’t seen anything you’d like to buy?” I queried.
“No… just… no nothing really appeals.”
Fair enough.
I, of course, will buy a mobile application without a moment’s thought because I work in the industry, because I quantify the spend as research first, value second.
It’s always interesting looking at the marketplace from the point of view of other people, especially normobs or “normal mobile users”. I wouldn’t put Barnes in that category though — he’s certainly a super-user. Indeed, he can put a server together using just his eyebrows and some well positioned puffs of air, he’s that technically gifted.
He just doesn’t value paid-for applications.
Knowing Barnes is a keen Formula 1 racing fan, I grasped at a final straw.
“What about the Formula 1 app?” (iTunes link)
Barnes thought for a moment.
“You can get it all free on the BBC website.”
The sad reality is he’s right.
What will it take to convert Barnes to a paid-for application fan? An act of God? Or a £15 iTunes voucher to get him hooked on the paid-for-buzz? And why should it matter that he just likes free ones? Barnes doesn’t feel left out. He is entirely confident that he is missing nothing. What’s more, I tried the odd bit of gentle pressure and he wasn’t having it.
When I sit and think about it, I have to conclude that the chap is entirely right. I couldn’t think of any absolutely 100% *must have* applications that, using Barnes’ reckoning, don’t offer anything more than easy convenience. For instance, I tried to argue that the official Formula 1 app would be quicker for accessing race timings — but, as Barnes points out, he can (and does) use the iPhone’s swish browser to get the information from BBC sport. Which — through his license fee — he’s already paid for.
So fair enough.
Just how many uniques are purchasing iPhone applications? I wonder. I haven’t seen a definitive stat from Apple and I doubt I ever will (do let me know if you’ve come across some). Some estimates I’ve read around the web reckon 95% of iTunes app downloads are free.
I do wonder.
How many other iPhone users out there only use free apps?
What’s your perspective?
Update: A quick note from Stuart over at Mobile Entertainment pointed out this post: 50% of smartphone users downloaded 0 apps last month.
Are you kidding me. There a a ton of a must have iPhone Apps. While you can arguably find a free alternative to many, there is not better on the go experience.
– iCurrencyPad
– iXpenseit
– Motion GPS / offline maps
– Occarina
– Starmap / Solar Walk
– Weather Pro
– A ton of great games
– Camera Plus Pro
– Air Video
Ah Nikolay, I have hundreds of paid apps, but I was trying to look at it from this user’s point of view. I think the user would — alas — read down the list of apps you’ve mentioned and say ‘nah, don’t *need* any of those’!
I totally agree. I have an ipod touch and an android phone. I bought an app once because it was on sale (I have hardly used it) but never again as there is usually something else available for free. (For one platform or the other) I have worked in the mobile industry for almost 20 year so definitely not a normob. I spend a huge amount on gadgets, just not interested in paid apps.
I just did exactly that although I have a star map application I paid for on my iPod Touch. Never again though, it’s a total second class citizen on the touch – I could have got just as much functionality from a free app and I’ve only used it a couple of times so now I feel ripped off. I like free games, but they aren’t normally interesting enough to spend money on.
I think there are lots of people like Barnes around – far more than there are who buy apps. I’m not sure it’s important though, there are enough people who buy apps to make it still worth doing if you’ve got a good idea.
I have had iphones for three or four years, I don’t remember when I finally buried my nokia 6230 candy bar for it. I have bought one app, ESPNs 2010 FIFA World Cup. I couldn’t sneak away during the work day for as many games as I wanted, so I listened to many games on the radio. I still get an occasional push notification about some coach getting fired or player getting injured. It was a good purchase, but I am not looking for others to buy. I don’t browse for apps to download. When I have a need, I go hunting…for a free app. I needed a Bleep Test to train my son, so I picked the free one. I will probably buy another app some day, but I just don’t known when or why at the moment.
I wonder if this is more about what people give a way for free…
The Guardian app is great, but BBC/Sky are free. Most social client apps are free (FB/Twitter/Evernote), maps are free, many great games are free – although some are not (angry birds ;o).
The only app category that I haven’t found a “good enough” free app is in the RSS reader arena – I use Reeder.
The same is also true on the iPad with some of the best apps (eg: Flipboard and iPulse) also being free. Perhaps this is about the rise and rise of “good enough”.
Got to thoroughly agree with Barnes thinking, I use “FreeAppAlert” via twitter & email to let me know of daily free apps & special offers. Nikolay, I got full Motion GPS (on a free-for-one-day offer).
Apps I’ve purchased can be counted on the fingers of one hand 3 to be precise =>
Angry Birds (obviously)
Scrabble – great with other iPhones & other iPad too
WiFi Trak which finds wifi hotsppots better than iPhone’s inbuilt software,
but everything else I need or use is free or using the “lite” versions. .
Navigation – Google maps & Motion GPS
News – Google Reader, CNN & France24
Comms – Nimbuzz, Skype, Pingchat & Heywire
Location & Shopping – Layar, Red laser.
Driving – Traffic UK, Via Michelin (France), Tmobilis Pro (Belgium) Waze, Trafic Express (Switzerland)
TV – Twit TV,, NetTV LIte (for SKY News),
Dozens & dozens of games
These are all free, and I have never felt the “need” to purchase premium apps like SKY when as Barnes says – I can get the BBC on the browser.
To answer Toby try using RSS (free) or Use Google Reader & add it to your home screen – works for me
Conversely , my wife’s iPhone is a “little” different……………..
I only bought my 3GS once I doublechecked I could sign up for the AppStore without inputting my credit card details. So having signed up, it’s now impossible for me to get anything other than free apps.
I see no value in paid apps for personal use. I can conceive of some examples where I may need to get specific applications for work (eg if I was doing a specific consulting project related to a specialised area).
The last time I bought an app was a Java game in about 2005. I have no intention of changing that any time soon – mobile apps are simply not something I consider a worthwhile addition to my life.
In general, I view anything but a few essential apps (Facebook, RSS, Skype, Kayak) as unnecessary – and even lacking in style and class. Having pages of apps is like havig a nice car, then going to Halfords for a ton of cheap plastic bodykit parts & some fluffy dice.
Dean