Apple Finally Allows Giving the Gift of App

By Nick Mokey March 22, 2010

When flowers are too cliché and a gift card just screams apathy, nothing says “last-minute but thoughtful” like an iPhone app. And at long last, now you can give them to friends just like movies and music.

Apple quietly slipped the new ability into the app store on Monday, before bloggers picked up the subtle change in the terms of service and trumpeted it. The function appears when clicking the dropdown menu beside “Buy App.” Apparently, it works store-wide, and applies to all apps except official Apple OS updates.

As with most digital stores, all gifts are considered final, so you’re out of luck if that zombie shooter doesn’t go over too well with the parents, and you can’t give away apps you own, even if Oregon Trail has gotten a little stale after the third dysentery outbreak. Apple has also cut out regifting by preventing gift cards from being used to give apps: Cash only, please.

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