Apple changes "free" to "get"

[Kong Wen]

This is an odd one. After pressure from the European Commission (which forces Google to remove "free" from its category headers earlier this year), Apple has changed the "free" download button in iTunes to say "get" for most games (whether they have in-app purchases or not). This is apparently in order to avoid misrepresenting the true costs of "free-to-play" games that somehow trick people into unwillingly spending tons of money on microtransactions from within the game.

I don't really have a problem with this move, but I question whether it will have any impact at all. What do you think?

[MerlinDrazziw]

I noticed the change to "get", but I don't think it'll change much. Next thing to change might as well be the "purchased" tab, as you don't purchase the apps that are "free" (or downloaded with "get"). Would be nice if you can seperate the payed (or given) apps from the free ones, or even see the most played ones.

As for the "get" change, that's just a legal thing. Those apps are only free as long as you don't have to get iapps to continue the game or if there are no iapps at all.

[pdSlooper]

I don't think many people will look at a "Get" button and think "Hey! Maybe there's a hidden cost to this!", but it will take away a consumer's ability to say "It said it was FREE, then my kid charged $1000 onto my account!" I wouldn't say Apple was forced to do this. I think once they realized that changing the button protected them this way, they were happy to do it.