Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

medium.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

371–380 of 607 posts

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

#371

Post by oarsinsync »

zuppy wrote: post #358
cameronbrown wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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...

There's a limitation on the number of apps you can sideload (3), and each app auto-expires after a short period (7 days) of time and needs to be re-provisioned.

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

#372

Post by nathanyz »

hos234 wrote: post #27
techntoke wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would want any company that is abusing their power to face consequences. However, it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out that some of these companies complaining about getting banned are legitimately doing something wrong and their only cards to play are hoping for a political reaction, rather than suing Google in court and being exposed for why they were actually banned.

No idea why this comment is getting downvoted. It's like an arms race out there, where every trick in the book is being used to manipulate people and capture their attention. Few years back I had an option to work on a recommendation system for a large video hosting service used by most media companies. They allowed me to spend two weeks with their engineering and sales teams. It was scary to say the least. The numbe…

Agreed, this is all a form of weaponized AI being used by the private sector to influence, optimize, and profit. Using AI for these purposes is perfectly fine. But there needs to be a realization of the impact so that guidelines, checks, and balances can be put in place. There can be unintended consequences of these things that the AI doesn't care about since its playing for high-score in the game of attention, views, and profit.

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

#373

Post by zaroth »

rowanG077 wrote: post #365
zaroth wrote: post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you suppose those apk’s get to use the full set of iOS APIs and Services and not pay Apple for it?

Yes of course. Programs on windows also can use the full set of windows APIs and Services and not pay microsoft. It's not actually a developer using those APIs the consumer is using those APIs through an application and the consumer has paid for those APIs and Services by buying the phone.

So you fundamentally believe the government should force Apple to provide its software and services under very specific terms of use.

You understand that many of these APIs are actually cloud-backed services that cost Apple money to operate?

You understand that Apple funds the development and operation of these services through their share of App Store revenue?

But you fundamentally believe this business model should be banned / illegal, because the idea of a device existing like the modern day iPhone does — a device which no one on Earth requires, and which has many substitutes — the idea that this device exists in its current form as a cohesive set of APIs and services that every app employs in order to provide a consistent and “magical” end-user experience - this is somehow detestable and must be eliminated?

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

#374

Post by johneth »

zaroth wrote: post #367
mirimir wrote: post #210

The Google and Apple app stores and support services ought to be regulated as public utilities. Because they effectively constitute a duopoly regarding apps for mobile devices. That would prevent them from arbitrarily refusing to provide services and list apps in their stores. They could refuse, but only for permitted reasons, and with a clear appeal process. The Public Utility Commission of Texas has a pretty clear…

The Google and Apple App Stores generate ~$100 billion in annual revenue combined, and growing at about 25% per year. The App Stores are the greatest software distribution and monetization platforms ever created, second perhaps only to “The Internet” as a whole. Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App…

> Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App Store

Please explain how you've come to this conclusion, because I can't follow your logic.

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

#375

Post by oarsinsync »

zaroth wrote: post #337
throwaway_law wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>if you dislike the App Store: Don't buy an Apple Device. Turns out Apple doesn't owe you shit I recall Microsoft using that defense once upon a time. IF you don't like Explorer or Netscape, don't buy a PC. Turns out Microsoft doesn't owe you shit. However, it turns out Microsoft does owe consumers something, the Settlement is available for anyone who cares to know what that something is.

I wonder if there were distinguishing factors which make these cases unique. Like the fact that Microsoft had 90%+ desktop market share and was using it to shoe-horn an unrelated inferior product with powerful network effects into dominance. Whereas Apple has no monopoly and in fact their overall smartphone market share is falling. Let Apple compete how they want to compete, as long as there are viable competitors. O…

> Let Apple compete how they want to compete, as long as there are viable competitors.

Agreed.

> Of which there are several.

I count one (Google). Who are the others in the smartphone space that are viable competitors to Apple in either company's home market (USA)?

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

#376

Post by mcguire »

ilikehurdles wrote: post #289
laingc wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Why are the only options for installing apps "Strict App Store" and "Open App Store"? That's a false dichotomy. Let apple have its app store but remove the restrictions on installing apps from outside of it. If I want to install an apk directly from a publisher's website I should be able to.

And why is the only option for a strict app store no warning, no due process, no appeals, and no actual support?

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

#377

Post by oarsinsync »

cooljacob204 wrote: post #236
ericmay wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which sounds fine until your mom hears about this cool App Store from her friend on Facebook, downloads a bunch of crap, and winds up at the Apple Store with Apple having to fix damage caused to her phone. I’m a little less sympathetic with the repairability stuff, but when it comes to the App Store, daddy Apple is doing a job that I want them to do, and changes here are not to my benefit and would make me less likel…

Do they have a computer? Might as well take that away from them with that kind of outlook.

I did.

They're happier as their technology always works the way they expect. I'm happier as I don't get any more tech support calls.

Please don't take that away from me.

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

#379

Post by wvenable »

Havoc wrote: post #56
StanAngeloff wrote: post #53

We were banned from the Play Store for violation of their Impersonation policy in mid July after publishing an update. We just got reinstated last week. During the course of the lengthy appeal I had an unshakable feeling I was up against The System™. I still believe I was communicating with a bot and not an actual human being — I refuse to accept a rational human being will behave the way Bob from Google did. It's su…

>When did thing go so horribly wrong? When every company and their dog decided their content needs an app. Instead of using the nicely standardized thing called http and web browsers. That moved us from http straight to corporate technical fiefdoms with no control.

For decades, developers distributed actual non-web software without having to deal with technical fiefdoms. Proposing the web is an alternative just masks a political/social problem as a technical one.

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

#380

Post by mcguire »

zaroth wrote: post #373
rowanG077 wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes of course. Programs on windows also can use the full set of windows APIs and Services and not pay microsoft. It's not actually a developer using those APIs the consumer is using those APIs through an application and the consumer has paid for those APIs and Services by buying the phone.

So you fundamentally believe the government should force Apple to provide its software and services under very specific terms of use. You understand that many of these APIs are actually cloud-backed services that cost Apple money to operate? You understand that Apple funds the development and operation of these services through their share of App Store revenue? But you fundamentally believe this business model should…

Can we keep the discussion in good faith?
Post reply on HN