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There’s a lot of hubbub going around with respect to the price of the new Wolfram|Alpha iPhone application.  At $50, many are calling it insane, particularly since Wolfram|Alpha is free on the web, and thus the iPhone can use it via Safari.  There’s even a mobile-optimized version.

Those things are true, but I’m personally much more likely to use an app with direct access via Wolfram|Alpha’s API than I am to use a web version.  Particularly on Edge, which I face anytime I leave my house, the difference in amount of data transmission is important, as is the "snappiness".  Optimization for use with the iPhone’s native controls, editable history, and integration with my other iPhone apps and services?  Sold.

Is the price wrong?  Yes, for everyone except people like me.  And I think Wolfram Research priced this app knowing exactly who they were and weren’t selling to.