Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival • Hacker News Board

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#11

Post by drusepth » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:03 PM UTC

>At first glance a spokesman agreed with us that the situation looks odd.

Seems like someone messed up somewhere and is probably being resolved.

In all honesty though, no app with IAP (especially easy-to-access IAP or IAP that can't be locked by a parent) should get an E rating. Fleksy should get a higher age rating for this reason, not because of an emoji.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#12

Post by njsubedi » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:08 PM UTC

But, did anyone notice the totally irrelevant "get rich quick" kind of comments on the TechCrunch article? Aren't the comments there moderated?

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#13

Post by parliament32 » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:14 PM UTC

On a related note, does anyone have recommendations for a Gboard alternative? I've disabled all the "pipe everything I type directly to HQ for analysis" things in Gboard but I'd prefer a non-Google alternative.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#14

Post by QueridoGuy » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:20 PM UTC

I used to be a big fan of Fleksy app before the creators went to pinterest and sold their app to some company. They new devs probably didn’t know how to fix their previous bugs or work on the code itself. So they started adding new “features” , which was a toolbar for a keyboard app. Kept contacting them on fixing their error, but they just said we know it’s there. Until i switched back to Gboard.

I would say, it’s probably because they added something to that toolbar.

It’s always like that for most apps, especially keyboard apps. A company abandon their app, then another company buy it from them and not know how to deal with the app. The app ends up with bloatware that no one asked for and then the app gets abandoned

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#15

Post by jhall1468 » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:21 PM UTC

scohesc wrote: post #4

So Google is selectively oppressing certain app developers by using the "Rules for thee, not for me" ideology. Well, they've been doing it for years and that's why there's people in the US Government talking about anti-trust investigations... Hopefully something comes of it.

Gboard doesn't have in app purchases, the other one does. The rules are different because the apps are different.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#16

Post by TooCreative » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:23 PM UTC

The crazy thing with Android and iOS software is that not only can Google and Apple reject your software now. They can kill it any time in the future. Forever.

It seems nobody talks about that.

As a software developer I would find it way too uncomfortable to build on a platform like that.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#17

Post by darcien » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:24 PM UTC

parliament32 wrote: post #13

On a related note, does anyone have recommendations for a Gboard alternative? I've disabled all the "pipe everything I type directly to HQ for analysis" things in Gboard but I'd prefer a non-Google alternative.

I have a pretty good experience using SwiftKey for the past few years.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#18

Post by fawak » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:25 PM UTC

parliament32 wrote: post #13

On a related note, does anyone have recommendations for a Gboard alternative? I've disabled all the "pipe everything I type directly to HQ for analysis" things in Gboard but I'd prefer a non-Google alternative.

SwiftKey has been working wonders for me for years now.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#19

Post by djsumdog » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:26 PM UTC

levosmetalo wrote: post #5

Didn't install the app, but one look at the screenshot of the Fleksy in Playstore shows "earn coins as you type" feature. It also offers in app purchases, but didn't bother to install to check which. I know many apps use coin system, but in many cases it's just a children manipulation.

I mean, it would be one thing if Google stated that as a reason. I really hate this in-app purchase model, and now being applied to something as stupid as a keyboard, something that can literally monitor all your data and send back your most common words to advertisers ... ugh.

I pre-ordered a Purism 5 from the next batch in anger a few weeks ago. I want off this Android/eyeProduct bullshit. I want full control of my mobile device again.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#20

Post by duxup » Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 4:27 PM UTC

levosmetalo wrote: post #5

Didn't install the app, but one look at the screenshot of the Fleksy in Playstore shows "earn coins as you type" feature. It also offers in app purchases, but didn't bother to install to check which. I know many apps use coin system, but in many cases it's just a children manipulation.

If that is the reason they should probabbly do a better job of telling them (granted it's Google, they're terrible about communication in this way).

I think that is a valid reason, but it should be clear that is the reason.