All apps going to be paid?

[fritz269]

I think that's the biggest misconception people have. (Open Source = Free) This is not true at all. Sure open source MAY have free alternative to paid apps, but just being open source does not make everything free. Knowing many developers in my past, I know how much they put into apps they create, actually surprised at the number of 'free' apps we've had even though developers have to PAY to get in on the market.

I think is reputation. If someone gives you something free, you might remember that company and later down the road you are more willing to pay for something they made due to the fact that they gave you something free.

I knew they were going to start charging and I am sure some will give some for free.

[happyandyv]

I never heard the G1 being touted as the "free application" phone. It was only referred to as having Android OS and being open-sourced. Open-sourced does not equal free.

Google had said from the very start, that all apps would be free for approximately the first three months, then after that, developers would be able to charge for their apps.

Besides, why would you want to spend your time developing apps if you couldn't get anything in return for your hard work?

Yeah I also never heard this "free app phone" bit that everyone is throwing around here right now. Open Source homies..

I am actually excited over the paid apps - whole reason I bought the phone - development without boundaries.. So far we are fallign a little short without root access but still... can;t argue with what we do have

[sfbl06]

I understand the "Open Source" deal and never once thought it meant free. But in the very beginning...the G1 was toted to be the phone that would challenge the iphone because of it's free applications.

Now, buying mine from t-mobile, we were also told that the apps were going to be free and there were 5 of us who bought that day. So, we were told wrong from t-mobile here in Chicago. JFYI...a lot of the G1's are being returned to t-mobile now because of the "lie" many of us were told. A good friend of mine just started working for t-mobile and has said they have been receiving well over 100 a day back into their supplies due to the charging of apps and how they were mis told also.

[constellanation]

unfortunate they didn't check their sources about free apps, i ordered my phone less then two hours after it was announced and new then that the apps would only be guarenteed free for a short time.

i wish i could sympathize but in this instance i really cannot.

[ickyfehmleh]

I understand the "Open Source" deal and never once thought it meant free. But in the very beginning...the G1 was toted to be the phone that would challenge the iphone because of it's free applications.

Now, buying mine from t-mobile, we were also told that the apps were going to be free and there were 5 of us who bought that day. So, we were told wrong from t-mobile here in Chicago. JFYI...a lot of the G1's are being returned to t-mobile now because of the "lie" many of us were told. A good friend of mine just started working for t-mobile and has said they have been receiving well over 100 a day back into their supplies due to the charging of apps and how they were mis told also.

That's funny, I've always heard Android touted as an "iPhone killer" because of the open sourced operating system, plus the (planned) availability on multiple devices. I've never, ever heard anyone say that the applications would forever be free. In fact, a bunch of websites were saying that developers would have the ability to charge for applications in Q1 2009.

A good friend of mine who works at AT&T said that the G1 was awesomer than the iPhone because it is available in black, bronze, and white whereas the iPhone was just available in black and that people were returning the iPhone in droves because of the color availability for the G1.

Also my friend can totally beat up your friend.

[jmejiaa]

I knew from the start they would be paid after 2009. Where are people getting these facts from????

[ickyfehmleh]

I knew from the start they would be paid after 2009. Where are people getting these facts from????

Rectally, I'd imagine.

(ninja?) edit: People hear what they want to hear. "Paid applications are coming later, right now everything is free" == "Everything is free"

[deserttopping]

everything is free?? awesome!

[rynosaur]

I remember when the only free apps were the ones you wrote yourself or typed in manually from RUN magazine into C64 Basic

But then again, since writing an app for yourself or typing it in off a printed page all have an opportunity cost, nothing is free.