Nothing is more frustrating than weeding through the bevy of apps at the App Store, finally settling on one, and then finding it out it doesn’t quite do what you had hoped it would. Well, Apple’s got a solution: try-before-you-buy apps.
In a new section of the App Store, users can finally try out various apps before actually purchasing them. While not all applications will be available for a trial run, consumers will be allowed to test freemium, "lite" or ad-supported versions of apps whose full versions are in the pay-to-play section of the store. Right now there are a total of 98 apps on the “Try before you buy” section.
While many are rejoicing at the fact that Apple has finally listened to their demands and opened several apps to a free trial, many tech bloggers and writers are criticizing the “rudimentary” efforts, as the selection of “try before you buy” applications are skewed toward games and don’t offer all the features that the full app would feature (some of those games include "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Lite," "Homerun Battle 3D Free" "The Impossible Game Lite," and "Labyrinth 2 Lite”).
However, critics do think the move could help the company curtail cracked or illegally shared apps. Mashable writer Jolie O’Dell said, “…we’re fairly certain that a ‘try before you buy’ policy might be an effective deterrent for would-be app pirates, the actions of whom have apparently cost the App Store around half a billion dollars.”
To see the apps available for “try before you buy,” go to the Free On the App Store page.
