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8 People Purchased $1000 App

Submitted by Edward Kirk on August 7, 2008 - 10:41pm.
in

Remember that dumb little iPhone app that was asking poor saps to shell out $1000 for a picture of a ruby? (I know, how could we forget that.) When I first saw that app, one of the first things that went through my head was wondering who would be dumb enough to buy it. The second thing was the hope that nobody would be unfortunate enough to click on that buy button by mistake. Since then, it was removed, but not before a whole 8 people "purchased" it.

Six people from the US, one in Germany and one in France each purchased the app, all in the first 24 hours it was available on the App Store. One of them explained to The Register that he and his friends clicked the buy button expecting it to be a practical joke. He knew he was sorely mistaken when he saw the $1000 charge to his Visa, and warned others away from the app in an iTunes review:

"THIS IS NO JOKE," he says. "DO NOT BUY THIS APP AND APPLE PLEASE REMOVE THIS FROM THE APP STORE...APPLE MUST MUST MUST START TO SCREEN THESE FAKE APPS AND RIDICULOUS SCAMS."

It's difficult to tell which is worse, the fact that people actually gave money for it or that Armin Heinrich, it's developer, still believes that he did nothing wrong. "I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store," Heinrich said in an e-mail.

"I am sure a lot more people would like to buy it -- but currently can't do so," Heinrich said. "The App is a work of Art and included a 'secret mantra' -- that's all."

It's surprising that Apple even let him get as far as he did.

[via Los Angeles Times]

I dont' see the problem

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 8, 2008 - 3:27am.
a grand (especially in dollars) isn't that much to some people. People love a tryer and it was a faily unique idea.

Submitted by cmgallacher on August 8, 2008 - 6:57am.
I wish I had that kind of money to spend on a stupid app like that.

i am rich

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 8, 2008 - 7:34am.
clearly if the price had been something else, say $800 o something it would have been alot more transparent.. but if you price it at $999 you are clearly trying to cheat the public into thinking it's one of the hundred apps priced at $9.99 or even $.99 .. those decimals are hard to see on the iphone screen!!

By the way

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 8, 2008 - 7:35am.
The a**ho*e who made this app was even so lazy to stretch the original photo in order to fit it onto the iPhone screen. In original, the image is square, with a full quintangle for a "gem". Lazy a88, if you ask me. He deserved to have it removed, i hope he gets sued by those who were duped into buying this scam.

Submitted by dark_coupon on August 8, 2008 - 12:33pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
a grand (especially in dollars) isn't that much to some people. People love a tryer and it was a faily unique idea.
You kidding me? even people who make $500,000 a year would have problems with paying a grand for a picture on their iPhone.

If it was an original work of art sold exclusively to one person, MAYBE. Not a "fairly unique" crappy image of a ruby.

What is the problem?

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 8, 2008 - 2:01pm.
I'm not sure exactly what you think this guy did wrong?! He created an "app", sent it to apple, they approved it, he made no false claims, there is no deception involved! Are you thinking the government needs to bail out the morons that purchased it? It's called free enterprise. I think it's a shame that Apple pulled the app, it's not their job to keep people from being stupid!

You think this is a rip off

Submitted by BZATWORK on August 8, 2008 - 3:30pm.
How about a real ruby or diamond ring? Talk about rip off.

Submitted by MICHAELSD on August 8, 2008 - 4:01pm.
I might try to design an application like this for half the price. It'll do a little more than this...

Submitted by JFrappuccino on August 8, 2008 - 5:22pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
I'm not sure exactly what you think this guy did wrong?! He created an "app", sent it to apple, they approved it, he made no false claims, there is no deception involved! Are you thinking the government needs to bail out the morons that purchased it? It's called free enterprise. I think it's a shame that Apple pulled the app, it's not their job to keep people from being stupid!
idk this guy has a point

Submitted by xxx on August 8, 2008 - 5:25pm.
i want this app!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by hal128 on August 9, 2008 - 9:59am.
I can understand why they might accidentally buy the app for one simple reason: who makes a $999.99 app that does nothing?! The first time I saw it I didn't believe it either. That's not developing, and if that's his idea of being a "developer", then he has no business making apps for the App Store.

It's upsetting to see garbage like that make it's way in there and see all the cool things that should be there instead but are blocked by the SDK. I thought part of the reason for the SDK was quality control, but it seems to be working in reverse. I'm glad it's gone, because it never should have made it in there to begin with.

Why am I the first to point out the obvious.

Submitted by Bernie on August 9, 2008 - 5:50pm.
Why am I the first to point out the obvious.

I think I read that Apple gets 30% of the price of the application. That is 2,400 dollars from one Application that they thought was a no brainer. Little did they understand how many no brainers would take to the bait so quickly.

Besides you would have to sell a lot of music to come out that far ahead.

Lol!

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 9, 2008 - 6:08pm.
Well, I didn't have the opportunity to see the actual application posted on the iTunes store but unless the developer described it in a deceiving way I don't see why Apple or even the developer have to return the money to the idiotic people that click on Purchase. Did they think they were going to get a real ruby?! LOL! If they were stupid enough to click GET suck it!