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Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

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Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#351

Post by jacobush »

cameronbrown wrote: post #309
jacobush wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything you said rings true, except the part about proprietary license. That's orthogonal to enforcing updates. That is a contractual issue, not a licensing issue. Google could for instance not allow the manufacturer to connect to their Google Play store unless the manufacturer played ball. But where does this all put us? We are OK with crap, insecure devices being shoved all over the markets? What can be done.

> Google could for instance not allow the manufacturer to connect to their Google Play store unless the manufacturer played ball. Very true but I think the point GP was trying to make was that Samsung is bigger bthan Apple and would have enough influence to get a lot developers to work on its platform instead.

I guess Apple->Google?

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#352

Post by ppod »

dollar wrote: post #3

The easiest way to identify a monopoly is to look at how badly a company can treat its customers and still get away with it. My company has a half dozen stories like this about Google in the last year alone. Know what Google is doing to its AdSense partners on a massive scale? They wait until your site has just under the earnings when they have to write you a check, then they terminate your AdSense account for “polic…

I sort of understand why search is a near-monopoly: it's free, and there's somewhat of a network effect and a self-reinforcing credibility thing. But what are the barriers for competition to AdSense? Why isn't some other company offering an alternative, like the same thing at a higher price with better support?

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#353

Post by zaroth »

skinnymuch wrote: post #308
gwd wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But there's more to the issue than just safety checking. The "App store tax" really is like a tax: it helps pay for developing the platform necessary for the apps to run on. Without that revenue, Apple would have to start looking for other ways of getting revenue -- for instance, selling my personal data.

Apple charges $100 a year which provides some money. Their 30% charge can’t possibly be mostly a tax in the way you’re saying. Don’t they lower their cut of iAPs to 15% after first year? Likely still making a profit on that. What additional things is Apple doing for the additional 15% to 30% at first for iAP subscriptions, or for normal purchases, or for one time iAPs? I’m not saying Apple is wrong to make as much pr…

Apple has made over $40 billion from the App Store since it launched, and paid out over $100 billion to developers.

The $100/yr developer account fee is an anti-spam measure, not an actually significant revenue source.

Apple and Google App Stores combined currently generate almost $100 billion in revenue per year. This is the biggest and best revenue source available on the planet for smaller developers.

Easy end-user side loading, and third party app stores is a direct attack on this ecosystem and will damage the livelihoods of developers who will have no way to fight against massive increases in piracy that will result.

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#354

Post by mda »

bwooceli wrote: post #292
tinus_hn wrote: post #86

Surprisingly he never mentioned what the actual violation was, nor of him asking what it was.

Yeah, there's a bit of a fog around this. He sets it up very nicely and gets the sympathetic emotions going and kind of sneaks in "4 similar apps" were the cause of the account suspension. I have no doubts that MonTransit is above board, it looks great, but about those other "similar apps"... no detail provided

He also doesn't mention where and how he gets the data from. But pitchforks are already out so who cares.

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#355

Post by trickstra »

Aeolun wrote: post #297
dahfizz wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you created a startup that grew to take 10% of a global market, would you consider your business to be insignificant? > especially when the markup on any non-google phone can easily be 1000%. I'm not really sure I understand. The newest Google pixel and iPhone are similarly priced. Unless by "Google phone" you mean Android, in which case yes apple lacks choice on the low end but 10x is still a bit of an exaggerati…

I’m arguing that one competitor is not significant competition. This competitor is also in a completely different market segment. Is there anything but Google (for this purpose I count anything with Google Play) in the <$400 market?

Which competitor do you have in mind? Users cannot install Android on Apple devices and vice versa, your app repository is decided at the moment you buy the device, and I don't see any other competing Play Store. Not to mention - have you ever tried to disable Google Play Services in your Android phone?

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#356

Post by levelist_com »

laingc wrote: post #171
cbanek wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This also makes me feel even more strongly that the FTC should really clamp down on these very strict app stores. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/amicus_briefs/app... Both the App Store and Google Play stores I think are basically illegal monopolies. I should be able to install whatever app I want, without having to jailbreak my phone and deal with warranty nonsense from the manufacturer. Just like my comp…

Personally, as an iOS user, I do not want the App Store opened up at all. Currently, I can go to the App Store, install any app, and be about 99.9% confident that the app will do me (or my technologically illiterate mother) absolutely no harm. This is something I value highly, and am happy to pay the “Apple premium” for.

The argument isnt to open the store but to open the phone. You would still be able to only install apps from the store if you so choose. Others would be able to install any app theyd like. Also, app makers that could not afford to go through Apples vetting or developers who have written apps that Apple later decides is good enough to clone - so removes the non Apple version from the store for reasons, would no longer be shutdown completely.

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#357

Post by dymk »

ppod wrote: post #352
dollar wrote: post #3

The easiest way to identify a monopoly is to look at how badly a company can treat its customers and still get away with it. My company has a half dozen stories like this about Google in the last year alone. Know what Google is doing to its AdSense partners on a massive scale? They wait until your site has just under the earnings when they have to write you a check, then they terminate your AdSense account for “polic…

I sort of understand why search is a near-monopoly: it's free, and there's somewhat of a network effect and a self-reinforcing credibility thing. But what are the barriers for competition to AdSense? Why isn't some other company offering an alternative, like the same thing at a higher price with better support?

The value is that they have so much search traffic and page views; aka surfaces to display those ads on.

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#358

Post by zuppy »

cameronbrown wrote: post #294
GhettoMaestro wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your ideal state of Internet / Tech companies is definitely in the minority contrasted to overall expectations the broader population has put on these devices and services. Yeah, we get it, you're smart. I'm smart. Most people here are smart. But protections still matter. What you're saying is I don't want to wear a seatbelt when driving my car. Sure that is your choice - but I think it is a very foolish one.

There's no reason the App Store can't hang around, we just want the ability to sideload. Comparing it to not wearing a seatbelt is a straw man, as it's more like being able to use your car however you like without the manufacturer's say so.

you can already do that, you just have to build it yourself.

here’s an article from 2016: https://9to5mac.com/2016/03/27/how-to-create-free-apple-deve...

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#359

Post by root_axis »

tapland wrote: post #160
dollar wrote: post #3

The easiest way to identify a monopoly is to look at how badly a company can treat its customers and still get away with it. My company has a half dozen stories like this about Google in the last year alone. Know what Google is doing to its AdSense partners on a massive scale? They wait until your site has just under the earnings when they have to write you a check, then they terminate your AdSense account for “polic…

Two of the admins in our new WoW-guild got banned by Discord for inviting guild applicants (who had submitted forms asking to be invited) to our server. After a few messages there is phone verification and then after continuing to send out the accounts were banned. Contacting support was just a big 'we confirm the terms of service breach and we so not reinstate accounts'. Those accounts were in some cases the sole ad…

That's the price you pay when you rely on someone's free service. It doesn't matter what people "want" to use. Pony up the cash for your own voice chat server and then this won't be a problem.

Re: Google just deleted my nearly 10-year-old free and open-source Android app

#360

Post by jimmydddd »

throwaway_law wrote: post #319
GhettoMaestro wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your ideal state of Internet / Tech companies is definitely in the minority contrasted to overall expectations the broader population has put on these devices and services. Yeah, we get it, you're smart. I'm smart. Most people here are smart. But protections still matter. What you're saying is I don't want to wear a seatbelt when driving my car. Sure that is your choice - but I think it is a very foolish one.

>What you're saying is I don't want to wear a seatbelt when driving my car. As others have said there may be more apt analogies...sticking with the car theme, it may be closer to a market where you buy a Ford and then you can only fill your Ford up with Ford gas from a Ford gas station. That market doesn't exist for clear cut reasons, but if it did you can bet Ford and other car manufacturers would claim the same thi…

I worked in the computer printer industry a ways back. The printer companies tried to make this argument with respect to blocking generic ink cartridges from being used on their printers. They argued that they needed to limit to the manufactuerer's cartridges to guarantee a good user experience.
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