As we expected and explained why in a previous post that the new Apple rules do not allow free apps which would then ask for subscriptions from outside the app store. So here’s the action started, two of the biggest medical developers started offering their apps paid right away from the app store.
For Unbound Medicine there was the Diagnosaurus and just few days ago the Handbook of Nursing Diagnosis, both apps have to be purchased right from the app store and not from Unbound Medicine’s website as it was the case for Nursing Central, Taber’s, and others.
Skyscape, similarly, has also started to market their subscription based titles as stand-alone apps on the app store. In fact, they have gone so furious that as of this moment there’s 29 new paid apps of their various titles on iTunes app store!
The good news is that the Pediatric Constellation is one of the earliest available 
However, what’s really interesting, is that they still offer the various short and long term subscription options on the Skyscape website. Not only that, but also they still send users to their website when the Skyscape Universe tab is tapped on the Skyscape Medical Resources [they recently started to call it the Skyscape App]! It could be just a matter of time before they modify these options, but definitely before the official launch of iPhone 3.0 OS next Summer.
While for Unbound Medicine, right away they tell you go to iTunes to purchase the app and sorry there’s no free trial [see their web page] obviously they did not work out a “lite” free version of the new Handbook of nursing diagnosis.
So now let’s wait for epocrates and Pepid to join the new club and no more $$$ missing Apple pockets!
Tags: iPhone, Skyscape, Unbound Medicine