One of the worst things about app shopping is the uncertainty. A few screen grabs and a four-line description is hardly enough to make an informed decision. When apps are free, it’s less of an issue, but when I’m coughing up a couple bucks, I want to know what I’m getting. A few app stores have tried to quell this issue: Amazon’s Appstore for Android has a test-drive feature, the Android Market has a 15-minute return policy, and Apple launched a “Try Before You Buy” system last summer. But T-Mobile has taken a pretty innovative approach to app shopping: rentals.
In collaboration with gaming outfit WildTangent, T-Mobile has plans to bring 25 cent game rentals to T-Mo loyalists with an Android tablet or smartphone. That way, users can see if they like the app before they put a ring on it. The service will also bring games to users for free with advertisements, and will detract the rental cost from the price of the game, should you choose to go ahead and make the purchase.
No word yet on when T-Mo will launch the service, but if you’ve retired your piggy bank, now may be the time to get it out of the dusty drawer, and start saving.
[via Electronista]