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Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

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Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#11

Post by on_and_off »

Mindless2112 wrote: post #2

I don't really mind that some behaviors are being restricted. (Although I think removing the ability for apps to toggle WiFi is nonsense.) The problem is that Google wants to break API compatibility without actually calling it what it is. Your app, which worked for years, is now broken and as far as the user is concerned it's your fault. I've been tempted to set the "max API level" property on my apps so that I don't…

>reasonable deprecation timeline

Each new Android version starts with a beta which previews and advertises the behavior changes, how is that not a reasonable deprecation timeline ? (real question, not trying to be cute)

> don't let users install apps that target old API levels

Google has been less active on that front that I would like but the play store is starting to at least enforce that new apps and update must target a recent API level.

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#12

Post by briga »

Lile the article says, the Google Play Store makes it difficult for newer developers to get established. To get your app featured, you need to meet a whole host of design/accessibility/localization/etc requirements that pretty much make it impossible for small companies to get on the list--they simply don't have enough developer time to make sure that every button in their app has flashy touch feedback or to make sure their app is supported in Zimbabwe.

That said, I don't really feel that oppressed as an app developer. I think Google has done more good than bad here

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#13

Post by andysinclair »

wetpaws wrote: post #10
sadris wrote: post #4

I had 90% piracy rate on Android when I did it years ago. Gave up and didn't look back.

Anecdotally, 75% of my sales are on Android and only 25% on iOS.

Interesting...is the app exactly the same on both platforms and the same price (assuming it is paid)?

I am interested to see if it's worth porting some of my iOS apps to Android.

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#14

Post by mmerlin »

wetpaws wrote: post #10
sadris wrote: post #4

I had 90% piracy rate on Android when I did it years ago. Gave up and didn't look back.

Anecdotally, 75% of my sales are on Android and only 25% on iOS.

That pretty much mirrors each platform's market share

https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/iphone-vs-android-...

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#15

Post by shams93 »

They can also blow you off overnight by mistake but whoops it's too late. At one time I had around 25,000 users on my app then a hiccup landed me back at 2 users. As a developer you have no rights. But at least they don't charge $100 a year like apple who can also randomly kill your app by mistake easily as well.

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#16

Post by fattire »

Android's Storage Access Framework is really underrated. Just ask the user to choose a document (file or image or whatever) by firing an intent-- then Android's built-in file picker starts up and you don't have to deal with implementing any of that UI experience. After the user picks the file, a content:// URI is returned back.

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/documen...

Best part-- along with the URI, you get the permission to access the document/file/image/audio/whatever "for free" without ever having to request it! Because you kind of just did-- the act of the user picking the file auto-gives you the read permission, which can be kept ("persisted") across system/app restarts.

This file may not even be on the actual device. It could be on some cloud service or a file server or something else you've never even heard of. Android handles it all for you. An example of this is Google Drive. If they've installed the Google Drive app and it's linked to their account, the Storage Access Framework will let the user pick stuff from there just as easily as their own external storage.

You can also use the picker to create/save a new file or even choose a whole (directory/folder) tree.

Reading from the content:// URI is a little different than from a file:// , and I know there are some situations where this won't cut it. But starting in Q you'll be kind of limited in where those files can be accessed.

But in most situations involving External Storage, the SAF is really what you want to use anyway.

Watch this little-seen video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C28pvd2plBA

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#17

Post by holoduke »

We are currently struggling with firebase messaging in a multi million user android app. Receiving lots of quota errors which are preventing push notifications to work properly. There is contact support with the firebase team, but there is no solution. I learned that the firebase infrastructure is shared with other developers. If one developer is maximizing load on the system it affects others. The fact that you basically have no alternative to firebase fcm is really a pita. Each new version of Android makes it more restrictive. I wouldn't be surprised if in 2 years from now every app needs to have buttons with a predefined colour and fontsize

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#18

Post by IloveHN84 »

Here people is complaining about Google bad policies..but have you ever seen/read/experienced changes in iOS ecosystem? All the new SDK versions must support newer devices while deprecating old versions of iOS.

At least, you pay a fee of 25$ and it's on you (or Google). Paying 99$/year and still experiencing some strong frustration at each newer release and change is much more for fetishism

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#19

Post by mike_kamau »

sadris wrote: post #7
mike_kamau wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to hear that. What do you do nowadays?

Just only release for iPhone :)

Good for you. I am seriously thinking of leveraging PWA. My app is pretty light weight, just a frontend to a REST api.

Re: Developing for Android is like being a demonetized YouTuber

#20

Post by random878 »

sadris wrote: post #4

I had 90% piracy rate on Android when I did it years ago. Gave up and didn't look back.

FSF - WORDS TO AVOID:

“Piracy”

Publishers often refer to copying they don't approve of as “piracy.” In this way, they imply that it is ethically equivalent to attacking ships on the high seas, kidnapping and murdering the people on them. Based on such propaganda, they have procured laws in most of the world to forbid copying in most (or sometimes all) circumstances. (They are still pressuring to make these prohibitions more complete.)

If you don't believe that copying not approved by the publisher is just like kidnapping and murder, you might prefer not to use the word “piracy” to describe it. Neutral terms such as “unauthorized copying” (or “prohibited copying” for the situation where it is illegal) are available for use instead. Some of us might even prefer to use a positive term such as “sharing information with your neighbor.”

A US judge, presiding over a trial for copyright infringement, recognized that “piracy” and “theft” are smear words.

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