question about these "free" Apps from the App store

[space-time]

I see that iTunes offers several free Apps every day, most of them usually cost a buck or two, but for a few days they are free, then the price goes back up to 0.99 or 1.99.

Anyway, who sponsors this? if a small developer make a game and sells it for 99 cents, and some people download it, and then Apple gives it away for free and tons of people download it that day, there are going to be no sales over the next few days. So the small developer will lose money. Unless Apple covers this giveaway. I really have no idea how this works, this is why I am asking.

Thanks

[The UnDoug]

Maybe Apple pays the developers for however many copies are downloaded.

[testcase]

I'd expect that the developer would be the one authorizing the give a way. Think about it. If you like an App, don't you tell others about it? By the time they get to it, its back to $0.99 or so. Although some people won't pay, others will because they've heard good things from you. I know I've bought Apps this way that I otherwise wouldn't have considered. Think of it as a form of advertising.

[RAMd®d]

There is some reluctance to spend money on something you can't try first, even if it's only a buck or two.

I'm sure the developer is the one who controls the pricing and window, not Apple. Apple may showcase such apps since it's to both their and the developers' advantage.

Also many free apps are lite, feature restricted kin to more expensive versions. And I've seen a few apps that went from paid to free because the developer launched bigger and better versions.

[Kramerica]

I think it is usually done just to increase downloads (move up the ranks on the download charts) and increase product awareness.

[threeprong]

Developers set their price not Apple.