I know one feature - compatibility with 3.0 games. Anyway, I tend to side with the developers. You can't expect to all apps to retain legacy compatibility. The one problem I have is that some apps are moved to 3.0 ONLY compatibility with little notice, thus disabling my apps use on 2.x. This isn't really that much of a problem, as I have an iPhone on 3.0, but my iPod touch on 2.2 simply drops compatibility (and I don't see the point of updating as I barely use it anymore after getting an iPhone). And no, the old version of the apps are NOT in the music library, I'm guessing because I sync them to my iPhone as well. So I simply lost compatibility with no warning, with no way to revert.
Well, think of us poor 1st gen. Touch users then - we had to upgrade the firmware in order to use the AppStore. It was never part of the Touch out of the box, so paying for new firmware is just the norm now
I would have thought the app store would act as a revenue stream from ipod owners thus meaning you could have firmware updates for free. In any case I recall data saying around 5% of iPod Touch owners had upgraded all the developers that make their apps or updates 3.0 only without adding features that require 3.0 are losing a large percentage of market share.
As a developer this discussion reveals a lot of interesting information. I would gather most of the developers that actually update OS 2.0 apps to take advantage of the 3.0 API's consider this to be a service. After all, the only other way to upgrade the app with 3.0 features would be to issue a new version of the app charging people for it. As most of the people buying apps seem to upgrade their phones/iPods this would hardly be fair - essentially forcing them to buy the same app twice. This might annoy the few(?) that have not upgraded their devices but it is probably in the larger sense the most consumer-friendly thing to do. Updating the apps to take the new feature-set into account is frankly a great after-sale service. No-one is being forced to upgrade their devices, and they function just as well as they did when they were bought. If however, you would like to be certain that you can download all future updates of existing apps you will have to shell-out the 10 buckaroos. Otherwise, just keep an eye on those updates and don't download if they demand OS 3.0...
I think that's is making apps cheaper. Apparently, less than 5% of all iPod Touch users have upgraded to 3.0. New games being released for 3.0 have now got a smaller target audience than they did before. When sales aren't doing very well, companies are much more inclined to "peggle" and drop the price to $0.99 to boost sales thus the $0.99 rush on the app store. Just find a way to get 3.0 for free. It's really not that hard. Google is your friend.
To begin with, the App Store is not a regular or reliable revenue stream by any stretch. Some people buy apps, some don't; those that do may spend a buck or two a month, some may spend a hundred. Either way though it's a moot point because apps are fungible commodities. They have intrinsic value as products unto themselves and the 30% Apple skims off the top is rolled back into keeping the App Store afloat -- and that's how it's accounted for to satisfy SOX. If they wanted to roll Touch users into their revenue stream for free firmware updates, they'd have to increase their take to a degree which covers the material value of the firmware upgrade for Touch users too, which wouldn't make iPhone users very happy because we'd essentially be forced to pay for other people's firmware upgrades -- something we already get free. I do think maybe offering 3GS-specific versions of existing games at a temporarily reduced price would calm a lot of people down, certainly. The smaller target audience is a given no matter how many Touch users upgraded; they're also dealing with those who upgraded their iPhones to the 3GS, which also is a fairly small number by comparison. Yes, advocating piracy is the answer. Brilliant.
To be fair to apple, this a very uncommon situation, where your iPod can connect to the internet but your comp can't
Why do so many iTouch/Phone owners feel the need to bitch and moan about prices all the time, whether its a game, and app or an update. If you want something, get it. I can understand disagreeing with somebody if they say it is worth it but to bother making a thread about it, it just makes you seem whiney and childish! When 3.0 first came out, I thought "nah, waste of money" Then after a while I saw lots of things that i like about it (not just app compatibility) and bought it. Long story short: If the features are worth it get it!
