Firmware 2.0 and the iTunes App Store experience in India

I finally have the firmware 2.0 running on my iPod Touch. You will get a new Applications tab in iTunes 7.7 when you connect the updated iPod Touch to your machine. Here you can choose to synchronize all the Applications in your library to your iPod, or just select the ones you like.

You get the Applications tab when you connect iPod Touch with firmware 2.0

I chose to sync all applications that I had downloaded yesterday. Once the synchronization finished, the apps were visible on the iPod Touch’s home screen from where I could tap and start using them.

Your apps show up on your home screen

The experience of using the App Store from the device itself is pretty seamless too. You choose the app you like and go to its detailed description. You then tap the small blue button with the price of the app on it, which turns into a green BUY NOW button. Tapping it prompts you for your iTunes Store credentials and once the purchase goes through, the app is placed on your home screen.

Tap the price once to get the green BUY NOW button

Tap BUY NOW to finish purchasing

A small progress-bar shows its download and installation status and within minutes the app is ready for use!

An app being downloaded

An app being installed

The process is identical for installing free apps (instead of the price you tap on the FREE button which turns into a green INSTALL button).

A word of caution here - if you are already signed in, and you tap the BUY NOW button, the purchase will be automatically made - you won’t be prompted again for a confirmation - so be careful about what you tap!

The absence of the regular iTunes Store rankles on iPod Touch too. If you click on the iTunes icon on your iPod Touch all you’ll get is this message:

The iTunes Store is not supported in this country

I worry that the App Store might be a tough sell in India. The concept of having to pay for an app on a phone/music player just doesn’t fly here. I hope the ease and polish of Apple’s implementation (and of the apps themselves!) changes that and paves way for the iTunes Store proper.

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