

Google fined by Taipei over app refund, react by suspend apps sales in Taiwan - albb0920
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/TechandScience/Story/STIStory_684581.html

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wccrawford
Unfriendly? I'd say their law is ridiculous.

I hate the new 15-minute period as much as the next person, but 7 days is
ridiculous for software purchases on the scale of mobile apps. Many of them
could be completed and boring in 7 days. It protects the consumer but destroys
the publisher.

Even the 1 day period felt long to me, but there was a few times I was glad it
was that long... Apps that claim to work but don't come to mind. Sometimes it
takes hours to get it to download properly. I have actually refunded an app
that I couldn't download within the 24 hour period, despite most 500mb+ apps
taking less than 10 minutes to download.

So I can defend 1 day, but not 7. That's not a trial period, it's the entire
life of the app.

There are arguments that apps that small shouldn't be for sale in the first
place. But people aren't forced to buy them. If they don't think they are
worth the money, they shouldn't buy them.

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albb0920
App stores can always refuse to sells apps to those abused the refund policy,
so I don't think it will destroy publishers.

Although frankly speaking, 7 days is too long for apps, the law is originally
made to restrict post sells and other physicals goods sales that buyer have no
idea the quality is before they receive the goods, I think its quite
reasonable.

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derobert
Additionally, not all mobile apps are the same; e.g., 7 days is certainly too
long for games, but probably just fine for a calendar app.

The Android market already lets you customize your trial duration, though in a
second-best manner—you upload both a demo and a regular version of the app. Of
course, there are a bunch of problems, like trying to migrate data.

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mcherm
Personally, I think the 15 minute time period is completely ridiculous and
harmful to publishers. I think a 7-day trial period would be a little long,
but a reasonable choice. Better yet would be to let the publisher of the app
choose from a small list of options (15 min, 24 hrs, 7 days, 1 year, Forever).

BUT, I also realize that the app stores can't create separate policies for
every jurisdiction on the planet -- there are too many and it is too
difficult. So Google's "solution" is probably the best way to deal with a bad
situation.

