Are updates for apps free?

[Grey Hawk]

Even if I paid for an app, is the update for it free?

Also how do I tell what was fixed or added in an update? It just told me there was an update for Google Maps, but I couldn't find what exactly was included in the update.

 

[jsh1120]

Even if I paid for an app, is the update for it free?

Also how do I tell what was fixed or added in an update? It just told me there was an update for Google Maps, but I couldn't find what exactly was included in the update.

Yes, the updates are free. At least they have been for every app I have. Not sure if that's just the custom or a requirement for paid apps, but I suspect the latter.

As for knowing what an update does, you've encountered one of the biggest frustrations in the market. Some developers sometimes include a reference to the features/bugs included in an update, but it's by no means a uniform practice. If there are any release notes, you'll generally see them in the text that appears when you install the update.

 

[Grey Hawk]

Even if I paid for an app, is the update for it free?

Also how do I tell what was fixed or added in an update? It just told me there was an update for Google Maps, but I couldn't find what exactly was included in the update.

Yes, the updates are free. At least they have been for every app I have. Not sure if that's just the custom or a requirement for paid apps, but I suspect the latter.

As for knowing what an update does, you've encountered one of the biggest frustrations in the market. Some developers sometimes include a reference to the features/bugs included in an update, but it's by no means a uniform practice. If there are any release notes, you'll generally see them in the text that appears when you install the update.

I see. What about downloads within an app are those free?

For example, Beautiful Widgets has downloadable skins, are those free?

If something isn't free, will I be prompted, even if my credit card is already on file?

 

[rda990]

Even if I paid for an app, is the update for it free?

Also how do I tell what was fixed or added in an update? It just told me there was an update for Google Maps, but I couldn't find what exactly was included in the update.

Yes, the updates are free. At least they have been for every app I have. Not sure if that's just the custom or a requirement for paid apps, but I suspect the latter.

As for knowing what an update does, you've encountered one of the biggest frustrations in the market. Some developers sometimes include a reference to the features/bugs included in an update, but it's by no means a uniform practice. If there are any release notes, you'll generally see them in the text that appears when you install the update.

I see. What about downloads within an app are those free?

For example, Beautiful Widgets has downloadable skins, are those free?

If something isn't free, will I be prompted, even if my credit card is already on file?

I think major/big updates do cost for some programs (well that was the Apple Store anyways...) and those cost in the store,and yes you will be prompted every time you need to pay for something.

 

[gruve]

If something isn't free, it will prompt you to pay before download. You will receive a receipt from google checkout in your gmail email. Pretty straight forward and fool proof from my experience.

 

[Matth3w]

You will always be prompted twice (once to buy once to authorize your card via Google Checkout) before you are charged. Every individual app that costs money will be updated for free...but their associated plug ins won't. So if you have an app that is 1.99, all of the themes that go with it for .99 are not going to be free. But if you already paid for the app and it gets updates, you will get the updates for free. Also, if you have already paid for a theme and the theme itself gets updated, you will get that update free. You also have 24 hours (one time only) to return and uninstall an app and get your money back. Do this by going to the market, finding the app that you downloaded and paid for, and choose uninstall and refund. after that 24 hours and after you get the refund for the first time, you cannot get a refund for that product again.

 

[Grey Hawk]

You will always be prompted twice (once to buy once to authorize your card via Google Checkout) before you are charged. Every individual app that costs money will be updated for free...but their associated plug ins won't. So if you have an app that is 1.99, all of the themes that go with it for .99 are not going to be free. But if you already paid for the app and it gets updates, you will get the updates for free. Also, if you have already paid for a theme and the theme itself gets updated, you will get that update free. You also have 24 hours (one time only) to return and uninstall an app and get your money back. Do this by going to the market, finding the app that you downloaded and paid for, and choose uninstall and refund. after that 24 hours and after you get the refund for the first time, you cannot get a refund for that product again.

Well I downloaded Beautiful Widgets, which cost money. I was prompted, and I had to input my credit card info.

Once downloaded, I went through the skins and downloaded one called "Airport" something that I see most people using. I was not prompted with anything. Does that mean this skin was free or what?

 

[Matth3w]

It will say in the market...it will have a price on the right side or it will say it is free.

 

[gruve]

You will always be prompted twice (once to buy once to authorize your card via Google Checkout) before you are charged. Every individual app that costs money will be updated for free...but their associated plug ins won't. So if you have an app that is 1.99, all of the themes that go with it for .99 are not going to be free. But if you already paid for the app and it gets updates, you will get the updates for free. Also, if you have already paid for a theme and the theme itself gets updated, you will get that update free. You also have 24 hours (one time only) to return and uninstall an app and get your money back. Do this by going to the market, finding the app that you downloaded and paid for, and choose uninstall and refund. after that 24 hours and after you get the refund for the first time, you cannot get a refund for that product again.

Well I downloaded Beautiful Widgets, which cost money. I was prompted, and I had to input my credit card info.

Once downloaded, I went through the skins and downloaded one called "Airport" something that I see most people using. I was not prompted with anything. Does that mean this skin was free or what?

If you weren't prompted to pay, then yes, it's free. Any pay application will say "Buy", all free applications will say "Install".

 

[Grey Hawk]

It will say in the market...it will have a price on the right side or it will say it is free.

I wasn't in the Market... It was through the Beautiful Widgets App. Once in the app, it had a download skins button. I clicked it, then clicked on a skin. So how do I know?

 

[Matth3w]

Then you weren't charged if it didn't take you to a Google Checkout Screen.

 

[aaf709]

Not only are they free, if you have to reset the phone, they're available for download at no extra charge.

 

[jsh1120]

Then you weren't charged if it didn't take you to a Google Checkout Screen.

+1. If you pulled in an "update" or additional features (like a theme) by selecting an option within an application, you won't be charged. The app itself has no credit card information about you unless you supply it directly to the company that markets the app.

When you supply a credit card in the market, it goes only to the market itself. It charges your credit card (I suspect 24 hours afterwards) and sends the owner/developer an application a slice of the money (70%, I believe, but I'm not sure.) The Market will keep track of your credit card information (linked to your phone number or your Google email account, I presume) so you can purchase other apps. But that information is not shared with anyone else, including the developer of the application you purchase.

Assuming Google (the owner of the "Market") has adequate security, you're safe in supplying your credit card number in the Market. However, if you elect to download apps from outside the market and pay for them, all bets are off. In that case, you'll pay for the app through some facility (e.g. paypal) and the vendor who provides the application can do as he/she pleases as far as updates are concerned. Needless to say you should never simply supply your credit card information to some vendor without confidence that it is not abused.

Finally, there have been some reports here that credit cards used to purchase apps on the Market have had other illegitimate charges added to them. I don't know the details but I suspect that either the credit card information was leaked independently of its use on the Market or someone else managed to attach their application purchases to the same credit card via access to a Google account.

 

[LifeIsABeach]

You will always be prompted twice (once to buy once to authorize your card via Google Checkout) before you are charged. Every individual app that costs money will be updated for free...but their associated plug ins won't. So if you have an app that is 1.99, all of the themes that go with it for .99 are not going to be free. But if you already paid for the app and it gets updates, you will get the updates for free. Also, if you have already paid for a theme and the theme itself gets updated, you will get that update free. You also have 24 hours (one time only) to return and uninstall an app and get your money back. Do this by going to the market, finding the app that you downloaded and paid for, and choose uninstall and refund. after that 24 hours and after you get the refund for the first time, you cannot get a refund for that product again.

Well I downloaded Beautiful Widgets, which cost money. I was prompted, and I had to input my credit card info.

Once downloaded, I went through the skins and downloaded one called "Airport" something that I see most people using. I was not prompted with anything. Does that mean this skin was free or what?

No need to worry. All the Beautiful Widgets skins are free to download and use. I use the HTC looking one myself.