Sharing Apps between two accounts

[920Walker]

This is an example of ignorance speaking. Stealing a Mercedes would be taking something away that the dealer actually had. If I shared an app with someone in my family, you lose nothing, you just don't gain anything either.

Ah, no. Your statement is one of ignorance. He does lose something. A potential customer, as they were given the product for nothing. The cost of the Mercedes is for the materials, manufacturing and time spent by individuals from digging up iron and fossil fuels out of the ground to providing lunch to the builders, etc. The car didn't just appear out of no where. Neither did the application, any application, any song. Hundreds of $M are spent to develop one video game, thousands to develop an album and your basic app. Just because you can clone your music or app on your iDevice but can't clone your Mercedes, even though you would if you could, doesn't make it the best for the economy or future improvements of a physical object or media.

I am a firm believer in having multiple copies of applications and media on multiple, personal or family devices, but no more than one device should be able to play the media at one time.

Just because Octomom had those 8 kids doesn't mean they all get subsidized Wii Us and she only has to buy one copy of Zombie U that they can all play against each other, in each of their subsidized care givers home.

Real family sharing is y'all sitting on the couch and watching a movie or listening to music, together.

/end rant. This L920 hung up for a good 90 seconds while adding those last couple of paragraphs. And I had to press a good cm under 'Edit' for edit to be pressed, using the WPC app.

 

[Chris Koontz]

Before we jump on the "you're stealing if you try to move the app" argument, I think software developers, by and large, ignore the general state of people using PC's - that they use more than one. Most software developers don't like people uninstalling and moving software because they assume it means people are pirating or sharing said software - but I would say that the majority of them are just moving PC's. This is a major inconvenience for those of us that fall into this category.

Speaking to this product specifically, I actually have more than one LIVE log in; one for work and one personal. I set up my RT tablet with my work Log in, but I've decided it will work better if I can consolidate work spaces and use my personal that I also use on my home PC. Now, I haven't purchased a lot of apps on the tablet, and I know I can always log in on the device with the older log in, but should I have to? Someone should be able to sign into Live and either merge the accounts, or provide the purchase information to get the accounts synced. It wouldn't be piracy and it makes a lot of sense. Not allowing someone to move items purchased, regardless of the log in used to purchase them creates an inconvenience people will avoid.

 

[SirPiggy]

First, there seems to be a lot of ignorance being spread in these comments. This is unfortunate.

I am an Apple user, 100%, or at least I was until a few days ago when I bought a Lumia 920 (which I am really liking).

Now, to the matter of sharing apps...... The Mac App Store has flourished in large part because of the huge good will between the developers and their customers. I buys lots of apps because I like to support the developers, and I feel good about buying them because my whole family (4 of us) can all use the apps if we like. This is part of Apple's licensing and it applies to the iOS devices (iPads etc) and to Macs. I have one Apple account and I can buy one iPhone app and share it with up to 5 family members, and I can likewise do the same with Mac apps.

So when Apple released their latest OS (Mavericks) last week for free on the App Store, I immediately clicked the install buttons on my 3 Macs and an hour or so later they were all legally updated. Same for iWork and iLfe apps (e.g. Apple's Word, Excel, PowerPoint + Garageband etc.).

If Microsoft want to make their App Store a huge success, then make sure the apps are well priced to make piracy silly, make them sharable within families up to say 5 devices to provide the feel-good factor, and reward the developers for their hard work.

The Mac apps are in general of very high quality because the developers are often staking their incomes upon their app's quality. I am still heavily a Mac user however I hope that Microsoft can provide a top quality competitive platform. Family sharing will make me feel a lot more comfortable about buying many apps.

 

[hopmedic]

It seems just childish to whine about no family sharing when you're talking about generally $1 to $5 for an app, to use on a phone that you're probably spending $40-$60 a month on.

 

[SirPiggy]

It seems just childish to whine about no family sharing when you're talking about generally $1 to $5 for an app, to use on a phone that you're probably spending $40-$60 a month on.

Again, this is just another ignorant comment. What makes you think that your spending power is like that of others? Actually, I pay $19 NZD per month (about $14 USD) for 500 MB of data, 90 minutes talk, and unlimited texts. See 2degrees - Prepay & Pay Monthly mobile phone plans - 2degrees.

Do the math.... using your numbers, let's average your $1-5 per app = $3 per app. If I buy 10 apps then that is $30, and I do that for each person in the family (4 of us). That is $120. Convert that to New Zealand dollars = about $150.

This creates the feeling, and that is largely what it is, that apps are expensive and should be purchased carefully.

In the Apple world however, I would rarely think like that. I would buy the app, hardly without thinking......

There are reasons the Mac App Store has been such a raging success, but few on this forum seem to get it. A pity.

 

[rdubmu]

There is really nothing to be added to this thread. I have just left Windows Phone for this reason. I have been on Windows Phone for 3 devices, and now I have a LG G2. It doesn't make sense for my wife and I to pay twice for an App. It just makes us download the free ones instead. My wife actually wanted to get a Nokia Lumia 925 because of the camera, but I told her that she couldn't download any of my paid apps without paying for them again. She was like "hell no"

On Android and IOS I am able to share an account in the Play Store/App store. Windows Phone should be the same as this is the standard for the market leaders who own about 90-95% of the marketshare.

 

[hopmedic]

Just because the leaders in the market use their clout to bully developers into losing money doesn't mean everyone should do it. This thread is nothing but a bunch of whining about less money than people spend PER MONTH on their cellular devices, for the apps that give those devices their usefulness. People argue that without apps a phone is nothing, but then they whine about having to pay for the apps that make their phone something??

Just one more fine example of the entitlement mentality that is overthrowing this once-great nation.

 

[rdubmu]

Just because the leaders in the market use their clout to bully developers into losing money doesn't mean everyone should do it. This thread is nothing but a bunch of whining about less money than people spend PER MONTH on their cellular devices, for the apps that give those devices their usefulness. People argue that without apps a phone is nothing, but then they whine about having to pay for the apps that make their phone something??

Just one more fine example of the entitlement mentality that is overthrowing this once-great nation.

I don't agree with anything you just wrote.

Sent from my LG-D801 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

 

[hopmedic]

I'm ok with that.

 

[tgp]

Just because the leaders in the market use their clout to bully developers into losing money doesn't mean everyone should do it.

Except Microsoft SHOULD do it, in order to compete. If the market leaders allow sharing, Microsoft has to do it as well. iOS & Android developers seem to be doing OK for the most part.

 

[ohgood]

There is really nothing to be added to this thread. I have just left Windows Phone for this reason. I have been on Windows Phone for 3 devices, and now I have a LG G2. It doesn't make sense for my wife and I to pay twice for an App. It just makes us download the free ones instead. My wife actually wanted to get a Nokia Lumia 925 because of the camera, but I told her that she couldn't download any of my paid apps without paying for them again. She was like "hell no"

On Android and IOS I am able to share an account in the Play Store/App store. Windows Phone should be the same as this is the standard for the market leaders who own about 90-95% of the marketshare.

i'm following this, here's my similar take:


i've read several opinions about pirated works being an impossible problem to overcome.
i've also read several opinions about positive reinforcement of good acts, and it really seems like a good way to subsidize the (possibly) pirated portions, with a simple 'donate' option.

it's GOING to happen, why not allow people to donate if they really like your application multiple times, from one account ? a family account as mentioned above is just something that makes sense.



i have 5 (or is it 7?) android devices running a 'somefamily@gmail.com' account to simplify app purchases, donations, ebay, paypal, etc, alongside the actual individual user's account for their own email/stuff on each device. if this seems evil to someone, i'm sorry, that's a nice opinion, but that's all it is to me. also, so far i believe i've purchased 5 paid for applications this year, which -might- be used on a total of two devices. the kids like games, so they download freebies. the wife likes some social networking thing, so she bought it. i'm a map person. lots of maps. make a map app and i'll try/buy it. and then load it on the others if they need it.

 

[hopmedic]

Except Microsoft SHOULD do it, in order to compete. If the market leaders allow sharing, Microsoft has to do it as well. iOS & Android developers seem to be doing OK for the most part.

Apparently you're mistaken.

 

[tgp]

Apparently you're mistaken.

How do you figure? WP's exploding market share?

 

[hopmedic]

Simple. You said that Microsoft "has to do it as well." They are not. And while not doing so, their market share is rising, not falling. So you are mistaken.

 

[ag1986]

Simple. You said that Microsoft "has to do it as well." They are not. And while not doing so, their market share is rising, not falling. So you are mistaken.

Yes, while there are more Android devices activated in 10 days than WP in a quarter (ref. Larry Page's remarks at the Google earnings call, 1.5M per day). You take your rising market share and keep on going, there's a good fella.

 

[hopmedic]

What the others' market share is doesn't matter. Microsoft isn't trying to be Apple or Android, and I'm glad of that. Those of you that are whining about having to spend an extra buck or two, because you feel entitled due to the practices of other companies (kind of like the way our government makes people feel entitled by giving them what they haven't earned) just don't get it. If you hurt the developers, especially on an ecosystem that is trying to grow, you're the ones who will lose out, because there won't be developers. Get over it and quit crying about having to spend less than you do on the coffee that you probably drink every day.

 

[Paul May]

While I agree with hopmedic in principal, I do believe MS needs to add a sharing plan or an option to share among 3 devices for an additional 50% of what the app is worth and 100% for up to 6 devices. This would be fair to the consumer and the developer.
This has been a fun read with a lot of arrogance and stupidity on both sides of the argument in my opinion. But it is one that needed to happen and be put out there for MS to see.

 

[tgp]

Simple. You said that Microsoft "has to do it as well." They are not. And while not doing so, their market share is rising, not falling. So you are mistaken.

I will admit that you are correct. WP's market share went from around 3% a year ago to 3.7% today. It IS rising!

 

[mv740]

Sharing is one thing but having two individual copy of the same is different! The way a lot of you are thinking is that it acceptable of paying for example for one copy of gta v but have 5 physical disk so that everyone could enjoy it at the same time... For the customer, it seen great you are saving money, but think about the developer!!! All the phones users excuses = i dont want to pay lol

 

[hopmedic]

Except Microsoft SHOULD do it, in order to compete. If the market leaders allow sharing, Microsoft has to do it as well. iOS & Android developers seem to be doing OK for the most part.

That is your opinion, and you are entitled to it. Obviously, Microsoft disagrees. Thankfully.