I keep seeing "Free Update" around here... Free update this, free update that. Even on iTunes, "Download all Free Updates". I'm not complaining of course, but I'm wondering: Is there actually such a thing as an update that you have to pay for? With all the billions of free updates out there, I have never seen an update that you have to pay for. So is there/has there been an update before that you had to pay for?
I've been wondering for a while as well. Could any developer tell us if there's an option for a paid update?
There is no option for paid updates. The closest thing would be DLC or releasing a new app, and calling it Blah Blah 2.
I thought there was an option to make paid updates... Or, instead of Blah Blah 2, you could make a $39.99 app called Blah Blah 4000 respect points or whatever.
Yeah, that's kinda weird. Back in the days of 2.X firmware they would always say "free update" as if they were going to one day suddenly charge you for updates. I was always waiting to go in to iTunes one day and under the updates section find "Buy Update" somewhere. I guess the word Free is eye catching, and so they use it to attract potential customers.
It's a marketing gimmick: the idea is that you always use the word "free," even if it's already implied, because it draws attention. That's why you see "Free Gift" used all the time, even though, by definition, a gift is always free.