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“Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

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Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#181

Post by zerd »

ncr100 wrote: post #10
pk97 wrote: post #2

I noticed this banner on one of my own apps while installing it for my mom on a new phone. The banner said "This app has fewer users than others...", almost as if they are discouraging users from installing it without even informing me. I looked it up online and it seems like many people have begun seeing this. I am linking a thread. If anyone from Google is reading this, such opaque policies are not appreciated!

It does seem like an Anti-Pattern. Presumably (some faction inside) Google wants to warn users about scam apps. However this seems like blatant shaming and ostracization of smaller developers who did not spend $$$$$ on Marketing through Google's Ad Network. Seems Monopolistic of Google to me.

"Are you sure you want to install OSM? Don't you know Google Maps is better? You should try Google Maps"

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#182

Post by lofaszvanitt »

_fat_santa wrote: post #4

Why does it seem like Google is trying to kill Android, or at least their app ecosystem. - They now require a DUNS number to submit an app - You now need 10-15 people to "QA" your app before submitting - Now this. It just seems that Google wants the "major" apps and nothing else.

When something is off, way off, or you can't find a plausible explanation, that means it is a long term thing not in the general populace's sight, yet. It comes later, might be a move in order to pave way for something or moving something out of the way for something.

The big corps are NOT autonomous, they are moved around like chess pieces. They are tentacles of a bigger entity, whatever that is.

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#183

Post by izacus »

throwaway494932 wrote: post #149
nout wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can update the version number and re-release. I think this may grant also adding the update note "Updated version number. Nothing else. Thank you Google".

That works if meanwhile Google hasn't decided to increase the target api level requirements [1]. In that case you may not be able to just republish the app, and extensive refactoring may be necessary. Forcing apps using old sdks out of the app store is probably the main reason they do this. [1] https://developer.android.com/google/play/requirements/targe...

That is only really necessary if your app is using old privacy or security problematic APIs.

Which is usually the root cause of this complaining - "why do I have to refactor my app so it won't demand access to all private photos and documents anymore?!"

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#184

Post by izacus »

GuinansEyebrows wrote: post #49
robertlagrant wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt they're aware of you enough to do it behind your back. They're more wanting to flag this "Bank of 4merica" app you're about to install has 8 other users.

Why would they allow this hypothetical app in the first place?

Because the people up in this very thread demand it?

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#185

Post by izacus »

csomar wrote: post #31
robertlagrant wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt they're aware of you enough to do it behind your back. They're more wanting to flag this "Bank of 4merica" app you're about to install has 8 other users.

I think "Bank of 4merica" shouldn't have been there in the first place. Especially for a store that is running billions of $$ worth of transactions. This is Google, again, pushing a cost that it has to pay to external actors.

So they should just outright ban the apps of the developer in the article? :P

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#186

Post by GuinansEyebrows »

izacus wrote: post #184
GuinansEyebrows wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they allow this hypothetical app in the first place?

Because the people up in this very thread demand it?

Regardless of what people in this thread demand (which I think is unlikely given the example), why would it be in anybody's interest (besides the developer) for Google to allow an app that commits trademark infringement at best (and, as implied, is probably some vehicle to steal confidential information like online banking credentials)?

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#187

Post by Marsymars »

reddalo wrote: post #179
Marsymars wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would hurt some utility apps though - sometimes I download an app to use for one thing, it works perfectly, and I uninstall it. (You get an automatic refund if you pay for an app and then uninstall again quickly. I've repurchased apps that I've been refunded for in this way - I don't want to punish developers who make apps that accomplish their function quickly.)

Are you sure the refund is automatic if you just uninstall? That seems strange.

It may have changed in the past few years, but it definitely worked like that in the past. (You can search and find various accounts of it.)

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#188

Post by ok_dad »

owlbite wrote: post #101
echelon wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wouldn't even be hard to achieve security: (1) sandboxing, (2) permissions system, (3) database of bad app signatures, (4) heuristics based monitoring. Most of this is already in place. There's no excuse except money and power.

Because that's worked so well for PCs?

In fact, I am using a PC right now that is working pretty well.

Re: “Fewer Users” Warning Hurting Specialized and New Apps

#189

Post by Gamemaster1379 »

crazygringo wrote: post #162
anilakar wrote: post #57

Our company just got a warning that we have sixty days to release something on Play or have our developer console account closed. The email made it pretty clear that Google wants developers to continuously push new versions to customers. We have no new features nor bug fixes in backlog. There is nothing to update. The only purpose of our software is to control hardware that our company makes. Nobody uses it for fun,…

Are you sure you don't rely on any third-party libraries that have been updated for security reasons? Are you sure there's no Android API being deprecated that you're still using? I sympathize with the general idea that software that hasn't been updated in a long time is more likely to contain bugs and incompatibilities with newest OS versions. Whenever I've opened ancient apps on my iPhone or my Mac, they generally…

No, Google is being aggressive likely due to liability.

I made an Android app that used React Native and it was the simplest thing ever. It had no auth, no telemetry, no persisted storage. Quite literally all it did was take text input and output it's braille equivalent and vice versa.

Had another one that made procedurally generated credits like you'd see at the end of a game. Same thing. No auth, no telemetry, etc.

I made a total of $3.97 for those apps. I did also receive a $350 settlement for some class action lawsuit Google lost about something they did to developers.

Closing my account removes me from potential future class action pools.

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