Insights as to how users find out about apps becoming free?

[devilsway]

Hi, newbie developer here. I was wondering if any of you have any insights as to why making apps free are so effective in getting downloads.

Namely, how do so many people find out about apps becoming free?

I experimented with dropping the price of my app from $3 to free recently, and from less than 10 downloads before the price drop, I now have 10,000 downloads worldwide just one week later.

My app is fairly new so I don't believe it was featured on those AppsGoneFree services? Are there other ways people find out about the app becoming free? Does the iTunes store itself have a section for "recently free" apps?

If this is the case, even if you are developing an app based on a freemium model, wouldn't it be more effective to first upload it with a price tag, and then make it free?