Jeff Scott:
The lack of an ability to download previously paid for digital goods, in the case an app, is the real problem. In the world of digital distribution, one where we are moving to a cloud-based backend and a Post-PC world, the apps and other digital media you buy in the App Store, you expect to be available forever. But the sad truth is, they are not available if the developer chooses to pull them. There are hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of Tetris for iPad users that will find that out next time they upgrade devices and try to download the app.
You can still download purchased games in purchased section of app store even when its pulled. That doesnt mean EA dont suck!
I know it’s fun to hate on EA, but I think in this case the issue isn’t their fault. I reckon they just wanted to do a paid upgrade, but obviously they are then stuck with the well-known dilemma of deletion or confusion.
As many people, such as Wil Shipley, have pointed out lately, Apple needs to fix the paid upgrade situation in both the iOS and Mac app stores. If companies feel the need to do a paid upgrade, for example EA’s in the article, old versions should still be bugfix-able and re-downloadable.
All the big publishers are moving onto In App Purchases with a low initial price. Tetris is just another example of this.