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Netflix and Spotify wouldn't care. After not finding an app in Play Store a quick google will bring them to an alternate store or something like that, it's not

Netflix and Spotify wouldn't care. After not finding an app in Play Store a quick google will bring them to an alternate store or something like that, it's not Apple's walled garden. It can only affect the apps that users don't know they need.

wutbrodo 6y ago
I think the value of Android's relative openness is often understated on HN, but in this case I don't think it helps. There is a very substantial chunk of users for whom "a quick Google bringing them to an alternate store or apk" is a hard blocker in terms of interest and/or ability.
- jojobas 6y ago
  They claim they made it easier to use alternate stores in this very release, and the inability of an average user to google is overstated. There's no limit to interest to Netflix, Stranger Things won't watch itself.
  - clusterfish 6y ago
    Inability != Willingness and motivation and enough attention span. Anyone who has ever worked on a conversion funnel would know.
  - michaelmrose 6y ago
    The next release will take 4 years to reach 80% of users based on past experience. Only half of users are even on 9 which released last year.
- d1zzy 6y ago
  It's hard to say if, for the average user, it's easier/more likely that they will get to the Netflix app (whether on official store or not) by clicking a link from the Netflix website than by doing a search for it in the Play Store. If they see a Netflix ad with netflix.com address on it I imagine they'll just type that in their mobile browser. A page would open, which detects the platform and prompts them to click "here" to install app. And now that link can be outside of the Play Store, the user doesn't even visit it. But for all those that might mistakenly look for it in the Play Store, you can have a stub app there that just redirects them (opens a browser page) to where to get the real, outside the store app,
aww_dang 6y ago
Alternatively, they might offer a crippleware version through Google and up-sell to another app store.
michaelmrose 6y ago
This wouldn't be the case had it occurred when Netflix or Spotify were getting started as opposed to being established brands. Its also not clear what people presented with the need to side load a secondary app store would just get frustrated and give up.
- dingaling 6y ago
  WhatsApp provides a direct APK download from their website, no store needed
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
xorcist 6y ago
That's a losing proposition for end users. Nobody really wants "just google some alternate store and install that" to sound reasonable for anyone (with a few exceptions).

wutbrodo 6y ago

I think the value of Android's relative openness is often understated on HN, but in this case I don't think it helps. There is a very substantial chunk of users for whom "a quick Google bringing them to an alternate store or apk" is a hard blocker in terms of interest and/or ability.

jojobas 6y ago
They claim they made it easier to use alternate stores in this very release, and the inability of an average user to google is overstated. There's no limit to interest to Netflix, Stranger Things won't watch itself.
- clusterfish 6y ago
  Inability != Willingness and motivation and enough attention span. Anyone who has ever worked on a conversion funnel would know.
- michaelmrose 6y ago
  The next release will take 4 years to reach 80% of users based on past experience. Only half of users are even on 9 which released last year.
d1zzy 6y ago
It's hard to say if, for the average user, it's easier/more likely that they will get to the Netflix app (whether on official store or not) by clicking a link from the Netflix website than by doing a search for it in the Play Store. If they see a Netflix ad with netflix.com address on it I imagine they'll just type that in their mobile browser. A page would open, which detects the platform and prompts them to click "here" to install app. And now that link can be outside of the Play Store, the user doesn't even visit it. But for all those that might mistakenly look for it in the Play Store, you can have a stub app there that just redirects them (opens a browser page) to where to get the real, outside the store app,

aww_dang 6y ago

Alternatively, they might offer a crippleware version through Google and up-sell to another app store.

michaelmrose 6y ago

This wouldn't be the case had it occurred when Netflix or Spotify were getting started as opposed to being established brands. Its also not clear what people presented with the need to side load a secondary app store would just get frustrated and give up.

dingaling 6y ago
WhatsApp provides a direct APK download from their website, no store needed

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

xorcist 6y ago

That's a losing proposition for end users. Nobody really wants "just google some alternate store and install that" to sound reasonable for anyone (with a few exceptions).