An iPhone
OS 3.0 beta user noticed that Apple may be charging App Store customers a second time to re-download applications.
Twitter user iPhoneDocked noticed over the weekend that the iPhone 3.0 OS was prompting him to pay a second time for an application that had previously been downloaded. The message, however, indicates that a second payment on an application will only occur when a user is trying to download content from the Apple App Store over the air.
The iPhoneBlog reports that the message is only occurring with people using the 3.0 beta OS and, even then, not all the beta testers are receiving the error each time.
It appears that the message has only begun happening recently and could be indicative of tweaks Apple is making to the iPhone OS ahead of its expected release at the company's World Wide Developers Conference next week.
One reason for the change could be because Apple is planning to allow users to download video content from the iTunes store over the air. Before, downloading a movie wasn't possible through the smartphone. Instead, content had to be downloaded to a desktop or notebook and the iPhone needed to be synced.
Another reason could be the enhanced connectivity between iPhones that is a rumored part of the next OS. Apple likely wants to put the kibosh on users being able to share apps between phones and, possibly, sharing music and video content as well.
After all, if iPhone users were suddenly able to share downloaded music, apps and video while standing in line at the grocery store, suddenly it might be harder for Apple to continue to reap the pecuniary benefits it has been rolling in with the iTunes and App stores.
Whatever Apple may be up to, rumors around the iPhone will continue to swirl until they are addressed at next week's WWDC.
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