Nokia's Ovi Store re-download policy just got a whole lot clearer, with an official post on the matter - essentially, you can re-download purchased apps provided you're logged in with the same user name and on the same physical phone as was used for the purchase. It's a touch more restrictive than we're used to on other platforms, but hey, at least it's now officially possible. Oh, and you'll need the very latest version of the Ovi Store client - v1.5 (387) or higher. If you have to switch devices, presumably you'll still be calling Nokia's support people though... Video and more below. And comments welcome, how well does this new system work for you?
Read on in the full article.
This is a welcome step forward. However, I'll take issue with the "on the same physical phone as was used for the purchase" part.
I can understand that they have this restriction to keep the software market going, but I think it's totally unrealistic. I say this because it effectively adds a software tax onto any phone purchase. Getting a new phone is expensive enough (subsidised or unlocked), having to spend money to buy software you've already bought just because you have a different device is unacceptable.
If they want to prevent piracy, then there is a simple answer. Use the Ovi store to deliver a licence transferral system. So that all your licences apply to your new IMEI number and not the old one. That way they're still restricting each licence to operating on one phone only, but not costing everyone an arm and a leg because they changed their phone.
Having to re-buy your applications is a disincentive, app store or no app store.
Hmmm.
So I updated my Ovi Store, scrolled through 5 pages of "MyStuff" to get to Barnyard Dash (lost when reformatted phone, noone from Nokia has replied to me in almost 2 months about reinstalling it...helpful...) and lo and behold it now offers me the option to "Download" rather than "Buy"
Hooray!
Except clicking the Download link gives an error.
Tried 4 or 5 times.
Still an error.
Closed and reopened Ovi Store to find that "MyStuff" now has Barnyard Dash represented 5 times in the first page - handy for attempting to re-download it quickly, but totally useless if there are going to be errors like this each time, especially as (one day) I will get v20 and will probably do a full format of the phone...
It still hasn't downloaded by the way.
So now I have a "MyStuff" tab filled with multiple copies of a single un-downloadable app and nothing to show for it...
One step forward but two steps back, as seems to be the way these days...
Perhaps the server is overloaded with people like myself who have been waiting for Nokia to sort out re-downloads and have got absolutely nowhere with Customer Service???
its better than nothing i suppose
but lose or drop your phone and kiss goodbye to all those apps.
when you get a new phone My Stuff is populated with all your purchases
so you can BUY THEM ALL AGAIN.
for this reason I will never ever buy from OVI store.
link purchases to account not IMEI no.
you know like apple.
I find this somewhat confusing that it seems inconsistiant how the versioning numbers are handled.
In both the article and the video the new version of Ovi Store is refered to as v1.5 (387), but when I installed I was informed about a new version labeled as 1.0.5 (387).
Are we talking about the same since the rev/build nr (387) matches or diferent since the version doesnt match??
It was the same yesterday with the Ovi Maps included in the flash update of the N97, Steve called it 3.1, but in the image on the same page it clearly stated 3.0.1
Am I missing something or is the middle zero something that should be neglected - if so why is it there??
Side note, I couldnt find the Ovi Store update within Ovi Store, searches for ovi, store, ovi store, ovistore did not give any relevant hits (strangely Opera Mini was always in the top five!), but Download! seemed to find the new version.
Shouldnt Ovi Store be self aware and able to handle its own updates?
I'm sure I've had a message pop up that there was a new version when starting the store once or twice.
I might be thinking of iPlayer though, it's been a while.
Anyway, you can always go to the web site from S60 Web (store.ovi.com) and it should offer you the latest version for your phone.
Unregistered wrote:I'm sure I've had a message pop up that there was a new version when starting the store once or twice.Anyway, you can always go to the web site from S60 Web (store.ovi.com) and it should offer you the latest version for your phone.
Going to the website is fine, but you cant keep going to the web every now and then, click on download and hope that the app been downloaded is an update. There should be an alert somewhere that says an update is available and then we can go to the website to download. Otherwise how do we know when is an update available?
When I tried to redownloading BeJeweled I paid for, I got to My Stuff, and then the download button for the game I paid for, and then it just says "connecting" forever and won't download. Not very good so far.
don't Nokia have any sort of QA in the OVI store section?? The number of errors are just mind boggling
Just my 2 cents... I managed to successfully redownload Labyrinth but I couldn't re-download Catchphrase (a java game). It just shows Connecting continuously.
"When I tried to redownloading BeJeweled I paid for, I got to My Stuff, and then the download button for the game I paid for, and then it just says "connecting" forever and won't download. Not very good so far."
Join the club.
24 hours later and I now have about 20 links to Barnyard Dash sitting in my "MyStuff" tab. Time is money as they say, and perhaps shelling out another �3 several months ago would have been more efficient than 4 or 5 emails to customer service and several days of d**king around...
That said, with the new Ovi Store I don't have the option. It's re-download or nowt. And as it turns out both do the same thing...
Very unimpressed.
And yes, the 1.05/1.50 thing *is* confusing. I just assumed I was being dyslexic, but actually I wasn't. I'm no novice so I knew where to look, but how many people would know to go directly to the website rather than Download! or wherever to update this? There isn't even an "update" option in the OviStore menu... Another thing to add to the list of blindingly obvious screw-ups by Nokia that make me ashamed to recommend this phone to anyone until v20 is standard...
N14Lad, what phone are you using?
Cheers
Yes, the version numbering of Symbian apps is often confusing. For example, "3.1" is often shown by the OS as "3.01" - you often have to filter out leading zeroes! Best not to worry about it, it's rarely vitally important.
We'd like to clarify one point. Redownloading is possible on a replacement device as long as it's the same model or a compatible one. You can check your device OS compatibility here. Please keep the suggestions coming.