Got this today from Google Play Store :
I hope this example inspires Apple in doing the same. Currently if someone gets a refund in the MAS, in practice he keeps his app for free. I saw the number of refunds growing along the years. I suspect a significant number of those are people who found a trick to enjoy software for free.
If we had an API to freeze their software in case of refund, that would probably dissuade thieves.
The Mac App Store needs some love, some fundamental love. Alas it, like the Mac are the ugly step children from Apple’s past relationships.
In fact to be honest something like this could easily be done without the developer having to change anything. The storeagent is able to read & write the App Store receipts in the bundle. All it need be is when a refund is processed, a message is posted on the users account, the App Store application periodically checks this messages and when it finds a refund for a product, it goes and removes the receipt file.
I’ll add this to my book that I’m writing, which I’m sending to Tim Cook. It started off a small to-do list of things Apple have done which are not good for the Mac platform… I think it’s now closer to the bible in page count.
Indeed the MAS needs love rapidly.
Why isn’t Apple taking the app away from the refunded users?
If you refund an app they remove it from your account.
Source: personal experience
Technically, it is not that simple. But if Google does it, Apple should at the minimum be able to do the same.
Problem is, App Stores, and that is valid for the Windows Store as well, put all sorts of different software on the same shelves.
Honestly, I find it kind of insulting to be on the same shelf as the latest music for adolescents, and treated the same.
There is also a very different culture between games and business apps. Yet, utilities and personal budget, or databases, are sold in a toy store.
Heck, Apple is too busy with iPHone to distract any of his 20,000 people or so on a petty software store :s