NZ Met Service weather APP

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Master Geek
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#1768384 21-Apr-2017 11:12

Thanks again team for your feedback. Rest assured that we are listening to those wanting a premium ad-free option, and this is under consideration - but we will not be returning to a separate ad-free app in addition to this new app.

While we are government owned, we are not government funded other than for specific sets of services set out in contracts with the Ministry of Transport, DOC, etc. Development and maintenance of all our apps - and much of the underlying information they contain - is paid for through the ability to generate advertising revenue. This works well for us, since it gives us the freedom to develop the best possible experience for our customers and end-users.

I'll keep you updated over time on the road map of new features, including whether we decide to go down the premium ad-free route :)

Cheers

Jacqui

General Manager Corporate Affairs
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Ltd

freitasm

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#1768403 21-Apr-2017 11:49

Removed a couple of name-calling from previous replies - @muppet, looking at you.

As much as you folks dislike the ad-support alternative, name calling IS NOT an option here.

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WyleECoyoteNZ

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#1768409 21-Apr-2017 12:06

With the latest release of this app, does the new look only apply to later versions of Android?

I've got an old phone running 4.2.2, and the screens I see are not the same as those in the screenshots. I'm Wellington based, and the screen I see for today is of the cable car background.

And before anyone says, yes, I have uninstalled and reinstalled more than once.

antoniosk

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#1768458 21-Apr-2017 13:45

freitasm:

It was a under-$3 purchase. I did mine years ago so that paid for itself many times over. People complaining about the $3 then turning around and buying their overpriced flat-whites are being hypocrites.

I think I paid, ads free version should be available. I rather pay for something with the option of not seeing ads.

It's an interesting question; does your one-off payment for an app mean you always get updates to it, including support. A bunch of apps are about to cease working because iOS is moving to 64-bit only and the original dev's have no interest in updating their software - they won't get any more $$.

I think paying to remove ad's is a perfectly fine option for Metservice that would have been modestly achievable - having designed and launched a few such apps - but that's their choice. i do NOT believe because they are partially funded by public funds that the public is entitled to free everything forevermore; if that's what people want, the website is free and works just adequately on mobile devices.

________

Antoniosk

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#1768470 21-Apr-2017 13:51

This goes back to the discussion about Tivo service being phased out. Is the $3 for that version only, for new versions or for the "product life"?

Some desktop applications make it clear the price being paid for that specific version, some make it clear it includes only one upgrade to the next major version and some say it's upgrades for the rest of the product life.

This is not commonplace in mobile apps.

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#1768482 21-Apr-2017 14:12

freitasm:

This goes back to the discussion about Tivo service being phased out. Is the $3 for that version only, for new versions or for the "product life"?

Some desktop applications make it clear the price being paid for that specific version, some make it clear it includes only one upgrade to the next major version and some say it's upgrades for the rest of the product life.

This is not commonplace in mobile apps.

+1. Storm (pun intended) in a teacup, me thinks.

We think nothing when spending the same amount of money for a small bag of fries at MacDonalds, but all hell is let loose if we lose access to an app - which, if users purchased recently, Met Office are offering a refund for!

Recently, I paid about $5 for Action Launcher 3 so I could replicate a Pixel launcher on my Galaxy S7 (works great by the way). It seems nuts to me that I should now expect continuous upgrades - for ever - for this (wonderful) product. I'd happily pay a yearly sub, or pay again at some point in the future to move to a feature-enhanced upgrade. I want to support developers, not s*rew them. Just saying.

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timmmay

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#1768488 21-Apr-2017 14:24

I like the new app. It's pretty. It's not the most efficient at delivering information quickly, but it's not bad. The ads are slightly annoying, but no worse than the website. I bet I could block the ads if I tried hard enough, but right now it's not worth the effort.

If I'd bought the old app for $3 a year or two ago I'd consider it money well spent. Apps cost basically nothing and require development and support. Ads probably bring in more revenue than a small one-off payment. Google should give developers the option of annual subscriptions instead of one off purchases.

kharris

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#1768496 21-Apr-2017 14:34

timmmay:

Google should give developers the option of annual subscriptions instead of one off purchases.

Does Google not have in-app purchases and subscriptions?

Kirk

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#1768497 21-Apr-2017 14:36

There is a subscription method with Android. I'd be happy to pay 3 bucks a year to remove adverts, I'm sure most would but I wouldn't for this new version.

I had auto updates disabled in play store and this still got updated, not sure how that works. My wife made me notice first as she had gone to use it on her phone and the icon had vanished off her homepage then I realised mine had too.

Hopefully the app is improved and a sub model is introduced or a one off to remove adverts, for now, I've just uninstalled and will just use their website.

WyleECoyoteNZ

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#1768505 21-Apr-2017 15:13

Pros and cons both ways..

As others have said, paying $3 for it now gives the end user a Ad free experience, but the Metservice only get effectively a one off payment, say $225K (Play store says app has between 50,000 & 100,000 downloads, I've use the middle to get the number).

As the Metservice have said, they don't receive any funding for this, so I suspect for the App to be a viable commercial exercise, the advertising revenue will help offset the development costs.

Someone mentioned a subscription service, again how much of each sub would the metservice get? I'd guess Google would be taking a cut of each subscription. Would everyone whose paid the one off purchase price be prepared to pay a yearly subscription fee?

Stu

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#1768581 21-Apr-2017 20:16

kharris:
timmmay:

Google should give developers the option of annual subscriptions instead of one off purchases.

Does Google not have in-app purchases and subscriptions?

Yes there surely are Google Play subscription options for Android app developers. I pay annual subscriptions for one or two apps myself.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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timmmay

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#1768613 21-Apr-2017 21:05

Interesting. I've never seen any, but I don't but many apps.

lurker

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#1768631 21-Apr-2017 21:56

Sigh... Found my widget gone, app upgraded and now no 1x4 widget.

Some advance notification from the app would have been nice in a case like this

netspanner

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#1768920 22-Apr-2017 14:31

Jaquie, take to mind the pedantic and picky nature of many of the posters here. we are only talking about a few dollars which would be hardly noticed. Sure there is the principle of the matter, but big companies have been screwing us over for years with worse things than $2.50 and we just roll over and take it.

I just downloaded your app for the first time. I like it! Its well made, nice color, all the things I need are there. Be happy with your product, its good.

The widget is also really nice, sure a variety of sizes would be good however we are only a very small market, and you would be doing it for love, not money.

I would like to see some automation tools incorporated, such as when the Current Temp = Set Temp, then an alarm might go off, etc. It would be good for farmers and their crops etc. Or an alarm for frost, rain, How about surf conditions for fishermen, surfers as well etc.

All that would be fun to code and could be on a premium version.

Adverts could be removed for people by enabling an Adverts Off button in settings for people who have / will pay.

Personally I don't see any adverts on my phone anyway, which is an option that people could choose if they dislike them.

The Freemium model would be the best way to recoup the expenses of creating the app. Alternatively, I know a bunch of amateur student coders who would love access to your API to make different versions for fun using Xamarin. We could have a profit sharing model 50/50 or just promise not to publish them, and do it for the experience.

It would be a great creative opportunity to see what can be done with the data you have access to.

mattwnz

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#1768929 22-Apr-2017 14:48

freitasm:
This goes back to the discussion about Tivo service being phased out. Is the $3 for that version only, for new versions or for the "product life"?

Some desktop applications make it clear the price being paid for that specific version, some make it clear it includes only one upgrade to the next major version and some say it's upgrades for the rest of the product life.

This is not commonplace in mobile apps.

TiVo was supposed to get EPG support for the life of the hardware. Usually with software it is for that particular version. I wish companies would do what companies like Microsoft does, and provide a clear support life policy with dates so consumers can be fully informed. Microsoft does provide new product versions but do also provide software updates for old versions, and they do clearly state that. Hopefully NZs consumer laws will catch up

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