Nothing stirs the ire of app owners like a developer switching business models. For example, going from “pay once, use forever” to monthly or annual subscriptions. Of course, in software there’s really no such thing as “forever” because without future updates, an app that works one day could be rendered obsolete the next by an operating system upgrade.
Such is the dilemma faced by modern app developers. During the App Store “gold rush” a decade ago, iPhone owners would happily pay up front for quality (or even not-so great) apps, apparently under the misguided conception they’d receive free updates forever. Flash-forward to the present, and most apps are now free to download, with developers relying on advertising, in-app upgrades, or controversial subscriptions to provide sustainable income.
