Apple has made a slight but also important update to the way the App Store handles apps that have been refunded by developers to customers.
While you used to be able to request a refund for a paid app and continue getting updates, that is no longer the case. Once a refund has been granted, the customer is unable to get support for the app or download it again.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Flexibits developer Michael Simmons told Cult of Mac. “If you bought an app, but then asked for and received a refund, you shouldn’t be entitled to keep using the app or receive updates/support.”
Simmons was the first person to spot the policy change. He tweeted a screenshot of a message from Apple saying an app update was unavailable because the app had been refunded.
The App Store no longer allows people who received a refund to reinstall or update the app with a clear message: pic.twitter.com/zR5drjVCke
— Michael Simmons (@macguitar) May 24, 2014
“Again, I think it’s a good thing for the store, because, as users learn about this new policy, they’ll be less likely to request a refund if they want to be able to continue using an app,” said Simmons. “Prior to this new policy, users could potentially take advantage by asking for a refund, but then continue to receive updates and support for apps they didn’t ultimately pay for.”
The same rule now applies to the Mac App Store as well. Apple doesn’t offer a built-in mechanism for developers to offer refunds inside apps, but customers are usually able to email support and request a refund if they want one.
Image: The Full Speed
