Editing Red Sky Labs Muzio Player Premium post-purchase terms change

[[File:Muzio customer review.png|alt=A review from a muzio paid customer who has been affected by red sky labs changing the terms of the sale. this is a screenshot from the google play store reviews section viewed in my desktop web browser on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time|thumb|A review from a Muzio paid customer who has been affected by Red Sky Labs changing the terms of the sale. This is a screenshot from the Google Play Store reviews section retrieved on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time]]
Red Sky Labs acquired the Muzio Player android app and invalidated previously sold "lifetime" ad-free memberships, using a software update in January 2025 that forced users into a new subscription model.

==Overview==
Since at least May 2020, the previous developer Apps10X<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116202355/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shaiban.audioplayer.mplayer Archived version] of the [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shaiban.audioplayer.mplayer Google Play listing] in the Internet Archive</ref> sold "Lifetime pro membership" packages for their Muzio Player app, advertising permanent removal of advertisements for a one-time payment. After Red Sky Labs acquired the app, they published an update in January 2025 that [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively invalidated these purchases]] by reintroducing advertisements to users and requiring a subscription for ad-free functionality.<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, LACKY BRACKY review: "The ad removal used to be a one-time purchase, a too-high $10, but now it's an infinitely expensive subscription."</ref>

==Details of the change==

Prior to January 2025:
*A one-time purchase permanently removed ads
*The app worked offline with minimal internet requirements
*User data was stored locally with an optional cloud backup
*No subscription model was required

After the January 2025 update:
*Previously paid lifetime memberships were no longer honored<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Robert Hawley review: "Used to love this music player. I used it every day for years. Free, simple, cool features, and most importantly: no obnoxious ads. Suddenly it started bombarding me with ads unless I pay."</ref>
*Multiple ads played before music playback<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, Chris Wells review: "Three interruptions just to access my music - First, there's an ad to close, followed by another promotion for their offers, & yet another ad to close."</ref>
*A forced-subscription model was introduced
*No refund options were available for previous purchasers

==Consumer Impact==
The change hurt users in many ways:

*Previous purchasers lost functionality they paid for
*Customer support emails about the change went unanswered<ref>Email documentation from affected customer to Muzio Player support: "Hello! I've been getting ads, Is this a bug? are others also experiencing this? I'm willing to provide app logs and my purchase receipt if this was a bug"</ref>
*Users report getting advertisements even with active subscriptions<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "Even when you spend money, you still get ads. You can't restore your account because the link does nothing."</ref>
*Playlists and user data affected by update<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "It erases playlists randomly. It plays ads with sound, over your music."</ref>

==Systemic nature: changing the terms of the sale==
This shows a pattern of modern consumer exploitation through several issues:

#Using software updates to modify previously purchased features
#Converting one-time purchases into recurring subscriptions without customer consent
#No communication or recourse provided for affected customers
#Many users report identical issues across review platforms<ref>Google Play Store, January 26, 2025, Jessie Jn Baptiste review: "As of 2025, ads appear when I open the app or try to go back to the app after having it open the background. At times, i need to exit the app to get back in without ads when I first open it."</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Red Sky Labs]]
[[Category:Muzio Player]]
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]
<references />[[User:Babyboy226|Babyboy226]] ([[User talk:Babyboy226|talk]]) 17:08, 6 April 2025 (UTC)