Exclusive: Nokia's Ovi Store starts to roll out re-downloads

Published by Rafe Blandford, Steve Litchfield at 16:37 UTC, September 23rd 2009

The Ovi Store team have just started to roll out the ability to re-download purchased content. Content is tightly linked to your Ovi account, which means you can re-download content either to the same device it was purchased on, or a different device (e.g. when you upgrade). Previously Ovi Store content could only be downloaded once, on original purchase, to a single device. Currently the re-download functionality is only available for selected content and there are some caveats. Read on in the full story for more details.

Caveats

Re-downloads currently only work on devices with the Ovi Store client version 1.05 (271) or above. We've successfully tested the N97, E55,  N86, 5800 and E75. The most reliable device and client combination for re-downloading content, that we have tested, is the N86 running 1.05 (313). This was able to re-download more content items than a device running 1.05 (271).

However, you can purchase content on an older client (pre 1.05 (271)) and then re-download it and install it one of the supported devices.

Only selected content can be re-downloaded, currently. During our testing we found that about one in three content items could be re-downloaded. Some items seemed to be excluded from re-downloading altoegther, and some seemed to vary from device to device (and even over time).

Re-downloads and all of the caveats mentioned above are subject to change. This is an on-going process - several Ovi Store maintenance periods are scheduled over the next 24 hours, which may be relevant - we'll do our best to keep you up to date, but please report your own experiences in the comments. You can be AAS's eyes and ears here.

Examples

Lingo: We bought Lingo on the E75 through the usual buy and download process. We were then able to re-download it on to our N86.

Re-downloading Lingo on the N86 - usually Lingo would be listed as £1

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing: We downloaded Asphalt 4 on to the N86. We then uninstalled the game. Returning to the Ovi Store, we were then able to redownload and reinstall game.

We'd encourage patience with the Ovi Store team - they're obviously working hard and changing things this week.

To check which version of the Ovi Store client you have

Go into App Mgr (usually in Applications or in Settings, depending on device/OS version). Find the Ovi Store client (if there are two listed, choose the much larger one - the widget) and then 'View details' on the menu.

To download v1.05 (313)

If you have an old version of the client and it's not automatically offering to upgrade itself, highlight the Ovi Store widget/icon in your Applications menu and choose 'Remove' from the menu. Once removed, either go to Download! on your phone and install the latest Ovi Store client from there or go to store.ovi.mobi in Web: one of these two methods will work.

Steve Litchfield and Rafe Blandford, All About Symbian, 6pm, 23rd Sept 2009

Categories: Software, Miscellaneous
Platforms: S60 3rd Edition, S60 5th Edition

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered Maybe once we can re download, a major OS update for all 5th edition devices to include kinetic scrolling will be released?

Maybe Panasonic can upgrade my 37 inch LCD HD TV to a 50 inch plasma with 1080p.

Quote:

Originally Posted by k.ewin Why didn't we know about Helicobacter pylori from the beginning and people have been dying from stomach ulcer? Why now and why not from the start?

When Nokia gets invloved with this we can ask them but considering they are selling products and offering marginal service, I think it is fair to ask why not do this from the start. They get our money up front, no preconditions. Before they rolled out the Ovi Store, they should have had something as basic as redownloads in place because phones break, people change them, they get stolen, etc... so a natural progression would be to have the ability to download content that you already purchased and transfered to your new phone. Why not? This is pretty basic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapporobaby The eternal question is: why now, and why not from the start?

I agree that it is a must thing to have from the start. But you should consider that this is something that was completely new to Nokia. When you start something new, it may not be possible to have all the requirements in place right from the start. It has to be built over time.
I must say that though I feel that it was ok to not have this feature from the start, they should have not taken this long to enable it. Maybe they don't have a good IT team in place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by k.ewin I must admit my comment was a bit provocative. This is because I have been working in the software industry for a long time and hear comments like this quite often. It is very much okay for a consumer to demand the best possible user experience from the start. On the other hand from Nokia's point of view this additional feature might have delayed the Ovi store for some more weeks or even months. (It needs additional development, testing, server capacity etc.) Nokia was ahead of the development with it's Download application but after Apple's coup with the by far superior and better marketed app store they had to respond as quickly as possible.

Far enough but don't you think that Nokia currently has a history of rushing things to its detriment? Hate them or love them for the most part when Apple releases a service, it is generally spot on. This has nothing to do with marketing but making sure the best user experience is had. Even when they launched MobileMe and it tanked for a day or so, Apple came out and gave everyone 3 extra months. Where is Nokia offering a free app or some kind of compensation? We are the ones paying, and they basically treat us as though they are doing us a favor by letting us purchase their products. Nokia has taught me that brand loyalty is a waste of time and leads to abuse by the offending brand. I am now loyal to the "bang for my buck" model. While I still tend to like Nokia, there is no way I will jump on a flagship phone again. The N97 has proven itself to be more of a dingy than a flagship and I am more than happy that I took mine back and got an N86 instead. Nokia may be the largest out there and will continue to do okay but consumer confidence (outside of some here who wave the Nokia flag no matter how badly they do) is eroding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by malerocks I agree that it is a must thing to have from the start. But you should consider that this is something that was completely new to Nokia. When you start something new, it may not be possible to have all the requirements in place right from the start. It has to be built over time. I must say that though I feel that it was ok to not have this feature from the start, they should have not taken this long to enable it. Maybe they don't have a good IT team in place.

Hey dude. You might have a point but Nokia knew this was coming and should have planned better. This is my opinion. Especially if you are taking peoples money. Their actions are par for the course. While Apple had the iTunes store first, the App Store was all new and they seemed to have gotten most of it correct from the start. Nokia is not a tiny company. They have tons of smart people but I have a few friends inside of Nokia and they all say the same thing, that there is so much in-fighting that very little actually gets done. The CEO for the most part just does not have the stones to go an reign in the warring factions and establish order. Who knows? All I can say is that the initial impression of the Ovi store leaves much to be desired, and Nokia can not continue to use the excuse that this is new to us. This was simply poor planning and even poorer execution on their part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by malerocks I agree that it is a must thing to have from the start.

Whilst I agree it is a "good thing" not all commercial software vendors would also agree. I can think of two straight away (Gameloft and Game Mobile) who either don't allow re-downloading or who charge extra for this facility.

I assume from the comments that Apple allow it. Handango certainly do but it is by no means an "industry standard".

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapporobaby Hate them or love them for the most part when Apple releases a service, it is generally spot on. This has nothing to do with marketing but making sure the best user experience is had. Even when they launched MobileMe and it tanked for a day or so, Apple came out and gave everyone 3 extra months. Where is Nokia offering a free app or some kind of compensation?

MobileMe had quite a rocky start really. So, yes, even Apple make mistakes.

But there's a big difference in terms of what can be given as compensation - Apple simply extended subscriptions or trial period, on something for which people would be paying them directly, which was hosted on their servers.

That's very different from Nokia saying "Our (free) store has issues, let's give you a free app, which will almost certainly come from someone else, and which the developer will still want to be paid for."

Apple didn't have to fork out real money to anyone to extend the free period on MobileMe. Nokia can't just let you download someone else's app without paying, no matter how penitent they're feeling.

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