In response to a ruling requiring Apple to alter its App Store rules, users in Taiwan now have a 7-day trial period for all software they download to their phone. Within a week of buying an application, Taiwanese users can choose to return it and receive a full refund.
Apple’s rival, search giant Google, did not comply with the order that stemmed from Taiwan’s consumer protection law. As a result, Google was fined the equivalent of $34,600 U.S. dollars.
Google’s Android Market offers users 15 minutes to decide whether they want a refund. Taiwanese law stipulates that consumers must receive a 7-day trial for any products purchased over the Internet, including smartphone software.
The report did not detail how Apple’s refund policy for App Store software works. There is not currently a trial period for App Store software elsewhere in the world.