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Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

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Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#111

Post by zenbai »

dmitrybrant wrote: post #65

I'm the developer of a relatively popular app (50M+ on the Play Store) and have had very disappointing experiences with the Play Store, but in a rather opposite way from the OP: Once an app reaches a certain level of popularity, you begin to see "knock-off" apps, which are apps with a curiously similar name and icon (and screenshots and description), but which in fact don't do anything except blast the user with full…

This is the worst thing about this whole issue.

If they were actually good at removing crapware from the store, then a bit of collateral damage would be understandable. Instead, it is still filled with crapware and even when reported they do nothing. And instead, they go for honest developers.

At this point Google is practically almost hostile to honest developers.

Also, it is strange that they value the revenue from these crapware apps more than their platform's reputation compared to ios App Store.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#112

Post by winter_blue »

Although I'm generally not a big fan of regulation, this is one area where regulation might be appropriate. The two marketplaces run by Google and Apple are so large and substantial in their size and outsize economic influence that there should (ideally) be laws granting developers of apps on these platforms some set of rights, and some form of fair due process if they're accused of ToS violations.

We'd have to either have Congress enact something (a long shot), or have individual states grant such protections to developers or companies based in the state. The most crucial state in this matter is likely Delaware, since many companies are incorporated there.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#113

Post by c- »

ggggtez wrote: post #63

> dynamic bytecode loading from a local app resource I'll bet you 5 bucks it's this. Your "anti-piracy" is their "evading our malware analyzers". From the Terms of Service: "The following are explicitly prohibited: Apps or SDKs that download executable code, such as dex files or native code, from a source other than Google Play." Can't tell obviously if that's the violation, but at least it's a good bet.

Given that the author chose to disclose it its a good bet they also know about it in terms of evading the detection tools available.

Remember, two sides to every story.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#114

Post by cameronbrown »

icelancer wrote: post #102
space_invaders wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but by this logic noone should write mobile apps But they shouldn't. 99% of apps out there could just be a PWA, specially in the Android ecosystem that favours them.

Been arguing this forever. Jobs was actually correct. He just pivoted because he figured out that an App Store could make him billions and control end-to-end the economy and the device, which is always what he's wanted. Web apps are the way to go. Not mobile apps in a store.

Maybe, but Apple's PWA support is still not great.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#115

Post by bcrosby95 »

UncleMeat wrote: post #74
torben-friis wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of the reason, the fact that you can have your livelihood taken away without an explanation or human contact is pretty worrying.

Having a system that tells malware authors precisely what behavior triggered an alarm is also not great. There is no solution.

Apparently he had zero trouble with antivirus apps fixing his situation. But I guess Google is so special it can't accomplish what companies with a fraction of Google's budget or manpower can do.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#116

Post by rjvs »

baroffoos wrote: post #79
UncleMeat wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having a system that tells malware authors precisely what behavior triggered an alarm is also not great. There is no solution.

"Your app has been removed because it was found to be malware. Please reply to this message if you believe this to be a mistake." Doesn't help malware authors at all.

Isn't that basically what has already happened in this case?

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#117

Post by apatters »

chx wrote: post #55
aikah wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the danger of building your entire business on someone else's platform. Now Android is a bit more open than Apple's App store since on can install third party apps outside Google Play, but I personally always got an answer from Apple, even if it took 3/4 weeks, every-time there was an issue with a deployed application. Google? Unless you know somebody there or you are a big shot it's impossible to contact them,…

> It's the danger of building your entire business on someone else's platform. This is so often repeated but by this logic noone should write mobile apps.

Indeed.

Exceptions apply (like having investors with enough clout to get Google's attention), but yes, that's exactly what a lot of us are saying.

Don't build apps (or at least don't make them central to your strategy).

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#118

Post by mav3rick »

sjwright wrote: post #105

I keep hearing stories like this and I remain utterly bemused that the median narrative about Android vs iOS has barely changed in response. There's a lot to love about Android, but I think more people in the tech sector need to realise that their mental model of the phone marketplace has more to do with historical perception of Android being "hacker friendly" than the current realities. Android is open source! Oh wa…

Yes everyone should be rich enough to buy a 1000 dollar Apple phone. Also, you get to decide if I want more than one camera app or not ?

Stop imposing your world view on others. Android made smartphones accessible to many people across the globe. You won't mention that would you ? Won't fit your narrative.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#119

Post by doodliego »

peterwwillis wrote: post #104
gwbas1c wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Class action lawsuit

In theory yes, but I can't imagine what the claim would be; "They won't let me make a business out of selling apps on their platform" ? It feels like monopoly would be easier to prove: "There is no other competitor to provide an app on these devices and people depend on them for critical tasks". In a way, this mimics the breakup of Ma Bell. AT&T controlled all the phone service, and they also created all the hardware…

Get 100 developers and small companies with similar stories and it should be easy to convince a jury that Google arbitrarily, without cause or review, destroyed these people's livelihoods and should be held liable and accountable.

EULA is not some magic shield against the actual court system, either.

Re: Open letter from an Android developer to the Google Play team

#120

Post by pg_is_a_butt »

ethbro wrote: post #90
njsubedi wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 to this. I also have several apps in the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, the knock-off apps are all around our apps, sometimes ranking higher in popular keywords. Some even post a screenshot of our apps! Heck, some apps are so bad that they ruin the reputation of the entire niche (for example, a document scanner app). If the first few apps that a user downloads does not scan documents, he's naturally assuming th…

It's almost like the lack of a competitive market for app marketplaces results in suboptimal outcomes for consumers. But that'd be crazy talk...

It's almost like we are all capable of making our own apps
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