The App Store has more than 20,000 applications, with nearly 20% of the applications belonging to the games category. Among all the categories, the games and the entertainment categories are the most popular sections accounting for more than 50% downloads. While it is good to hear that the App Store is the largest repository of mobile applications, all is not all well if we are to consider how often we use the applications. The shelf life of iPhone applications is too short. 

How many applications do you have on your iPhone or iPod touch? You might have eight or nine pages of applications or more, that means you have more than a hundred applications. That’s impressive. Now the question is how many of the applications just remains there without being opened for days; better say months? You’ll realize that most of the applications are just there eating up space. You’ve not opened most of the applications after the day you downloaded them. They are just junk, which you would readily have opted for refund if only Apple has that choice in place.

Some developers have struck gold because their applications really deserve that recognition. However, for most of the developers, it is rather  because of users’ mistake that they earn some profits. Out of the 3,500 games that are there in the App Store, not even half of the number are exciting or addictive enough to be called as games at all. 

Now, think of the applications in the Healthcare and fitness category and the Business sections that have the price tag of more than $20. What do you do when you download them and found out that the application sucks? You cannot sue either Apple or the developer. The best you can do is go and give a bad comment and a one star rating in the App Store. But, this does not actually prevent other iPhone users to commit the same mistake you committed. Apple is considering the  option to introduce the premium package for games with the price cap of up to $19.99. This sounds a bit panicky for users.

Considering the present situation and sales mechanism of App Store, how safe are you as a buyer? There is not much anger right now, but with the introduction of the premium package,  there really need to be an option to try out the applications before making the payment or something else. There need to be a refund policy. This will ensure iPhone users get a fair deal in the App Store. 

Consistency and quality would come if developers are made to realize that mistakes from users would no longer make them prosper. The App Store for now is more of a quantity display than a quality store. If I only had the option to refund the applications, which I don’t like, I am sure I would have only three to four pages of applications. These applications would be the best ones instead of the present nine pages, which I am forced to keep because I have paid for them.