I haven't found any Android apps worth buying. I look through the paid apps section now and again and it seems to be very utility-centirc. I'm not going to pay for a backup tool, file manager, ROM manager, over-clocking utility, task manager, etc. Of course you don't have to. The free versions of these apps are good enough. Then you have an assortment of weather apps, alarm clocks, etc. Again stuff that just doesn't…
Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
31–40 of 74 posts
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
But for paid apps, the 30% that gets taken away from your sales goes to the carrier instead Do you have a source for that? As far as I know you pay for apps using Google Checkout and the carrier never enters into it.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10072682-94.html quote "One difference the mobile phone industry might well find appealing: Apple keeps the remaining revenue, but Google gives it to wireless service carriers, minus billing settlement fees."
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#33[0] http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/valve-we-dont-worry-about-...
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#34If these countries are covered for buying Android apps, and per the article they are, then Android should be doing just fine.
For this reason, I'd disagree with the premise that the Android marketplace problems are caused by not supporting paid apps in countries that are marginal buyers at best. It seems much more likely that Android apps get pirated, simply because it's relatively easy.
I'm interested in writing for Android, but I'm holding off until I see some evidence that the Google DRM actually works and allows application writers to be paid for their work.
edited to give my reasoning on why I respectfully disagree with the article. ;)
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#35Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#36The result is the quality of apps is poor and profits are lower across the board.
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Apple didn't have the problem at all You sure about that? Just because Apple took care of it doesn't mean it didn't take a lot of work.
The secret is that Apple did all the groundwork years in advance, as part of rolling out the Apple Stores, the iTunes Music Store, et cetera.
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#38There's also a difference in average price points and expected prices - the android is absolutely cheaper. I think this is partly because the iOS marketplace is more mature, partly because big companies are not totally committed to android yet ("Testing the Market" price, not "Making Money" price), and partly self-reinforcing.
Whatever the cause, though, it's just flat out Easier to spend more money on iOS, and I suspect THAT's why Android devs aren't making what iOS devs are.
Mind you, I think Google's model is more consumer-friendly, and I endorse that, but the flip side to that coin is that Devs aren't making as much money, and that might hurt the platform in the long run.
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#39I haven't found any Android apps worth buying. I look through the paid apps section now and again and it seems to be very utility-centirc. I'm not going to pay for a backup tool, file manager, ROM manager, over-clocking utility, task manager, etc. Of course you don't have to. The free versions of these apps are good enough. Then you have an assortment of weather apps, alarm clocks, etc. Again stuff that just doesn't…
Interesting. I know that some games are direct ports of their iPhone versions. It doesn't make sense why they would be worth the money on the iPhone but not on Android.
Another issue is market construction. Think about walking by a luxury goods store. Imagine you're on Michigan Avenue with the sky scrapers and the beautiful people, the August sun beating down and a light breeze to keep you cool. All those factors probably put you in a pretty damn good mood, the mood to spend.
Now imagine you're instead in downtown Detroit, browsing the same merchandise through poorly lit, grid-crossed holes in squat, cinderblock buildings. Maybe the goods inside are worth the same amount, but the average person in the same situation is not going to pay as much.
That's what the Android store is like. Two screenshots compressed at just insane levels like Google has run out of hard drives, and four hundred characters for a description. That puts anyone in the mood to spend, right?
A final factor is the miserable battery life of the average Android handset, which makes them less suited to be a gaming device if you want them to work as a phone later.
Also, how many games have really been ported directly to Android from iPhone? I mean good ones, now, ones people have actually bought on the iPhone. There's a halo effect involved too. If you go for years without seeing a decent game for a device, you end up being trained to think of it as a non-gaming device. On the other hand, I only have to browse the internet for a couple of minutes to find a half dozen iPhone games I wouldn't mind paying a buck to try out.
Re: Why Android devs are losing money, and it’s not due to piracy
#40I haven't found any Android apps worth buying. I look through the paid apps section now and again and it seems to be very utility-centirc. I'm not going to pay for a backup tool, file manager, ROM manager, over-clocking utility, task manager, etc. Of course you don't have to. The free versions of these apps are good enough. Then you have an assortment of weather apps, alarm clocks, etc. Again stuff that just doesn't…
Interesting. I know that some games are direct ports of their iPhone versions. It doesn't make sense why they would be worth the money on the iPhone but not on Android.
Google really suck in this department, although I am mainly pissed because they still will not let Aussies SELL apps in the store. Maybe Google do not care about this at all, since this has been an issue regularly bought up here and in other places other the last 3 or 4 months.