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Fwiw, Google Play does have regional stores. For example, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hutchison3g.planet3 https://play.google.com/store/ap

Fwiw, Google Play does have regional stores. For example, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hutchison3g.planet3 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hutchison3... is only available in the UK store.

edwintorok 7y ago
Yes, local taxi company apps are another example: they are only available in the UK store. Which sort of makes sense, you wouldn't want someone to try to call a UK taxi overseas, although I did have to spend some time figuring out how to switch store countries when I moved here.
- viraptor 7y ago
  I disagree it ever makes sense. People travel. I've found myself many times abroad not being able to download: parking payment apps, local taxi apps, sim card providers' apps, local banking apps, etc. for no reason apart from someone thinking it would be useful to region-lock them.
  - edwintorok 7y ago
    Perhaps there should be 2 regions: your "home" region where you initially signed up, and your "roaming" region, i.e. the country you're currently in. And perhaps instead of preventing you from installing the app it should still be available and just tell you why it cannot be currently installed, with a way to override it.
callahad 7y ago
...and since parent was specifically referring to ebooks: - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is not available for purchase in the US: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Sto?id=39iYWTb6n6cC https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harr... - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is not available for purchase in the UK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone?id=wrOQLV6xB-wC https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harr... I'm currently in the UK, with a US-based Google account. If I'm logged in, I only see a "buy" button the second link. If I'm not, I only see a "buy" button on the first link... but Google doesn't allow me to complete the purchase, as it forces me to log in and then recognizes that it doesn't sell that ebook to Americans.

edwintorok 7y ago

Yes, local taxi company apps are another example: they are only available in the UK store. Which sort of makes sense, you wouldn't want someone to try to call a UK taxi overseas, although I did have to spend some time figuring out how to switch store countries when I moved here.

viraptor 7y ago
I disagree it ever makes sense. People travel. I've found myself many times abroad not being able to download: parking payment apps, local taxi apps, sim card providers' apps, local banking apps, etc. for no reason apart from someone thinking it would be useful to region-lock them.
- edwintorok 7y ago
  Perhaps there should be 2 regions: your "home" region where you initially signed up, and your "roaming" region, i.e. the country you're currently in. And perhaps instead of preventing you from installing the app it should still be available and just tell you why it cannot be currently installed, with a way to override it.

callahad 7y ago

...and since parent was specifically referring to ebooks: - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is not available for purchase in the US: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Sto?id=39iYWTb6n6cC https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harr... - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is not available for purchase in the UK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone?id=wrOQLV6xB-wC https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_K_Rowling_Harr... I'm currently in the UK, with a US-based Google account. If I'm logged in, I only see a "buy" button the second link. If I'm not, I only see a "buy" button on the first link... but Google doesn't allow me to complete the purchase, as it forces me to log in and then recognizes that it doesn't sell that ebook to Americans.