6 ms·

Unfortunately, anytime you depend on a third party whether it be Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc., this is the exact risk you take. Don’t feed the dragon.

LinAGKar 5y ago
What's the alternative? Google essentially has a monopoly on distributing Android apps.
- BeetleB 5y ago
  The alternative is to find a business model that doesn't involve making mobile apps. Businesses are much older than smartphones.
- heavyset_go 5y ago
  This. If you want to make any kind of mobile app, you have to deal with the Apple and Google duopoly that's had a stranglehold on the mobile app distribution market for over a decade now.
- shadowgovt 5y ago
  The alternative is don't feed the dragon. There are already enough Android apps in the world; don't incentivize the ecosystem by building more. Build for another platform or build for something other than mobile devices.
  - syshum 5y ago
    Right I will build for iOS.... ohh wait.... Ok that is out... so what is the other platform?
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - wackget 5y ago
      Web. Your app almost certainly doesn't actually need to be an app anyway.
      - Flankk 5y ago
        70% of app store revenue comes from games. Annual mobile game revenue is $93 billion. Do you have an example of what you're talking about?
      - heavyset_go 5y ago
        60% of mobile users in the US use iOS, and Apple has hobbled mobile Safari's browser and JavaScript engines in order to prevent web apps from implementing basic of features that native apps have had for a decade. You can't even work around that problem because Apple bans any other browser or scripting engine from being distributed on iOS, so users are stuck with an intentionally limited browser for web apps, which makes web apps second-class citizens on the platform.
- sseneca 5y ago
  F-Droid?
  - heavyset_go 5y ago
    F-Droid is a second-class citizen on billions of existing Android phones, tablets and streaming devices. Google also shows numerous scary warnings meant to trick users into believing that F-Droid is going to hack them or give them malware should they try to use it.
- cube00 5y ago
  Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are slowly getting us there, even though Apple fights tooth and nail at every step of the way. I attended an event that had mobile food ordering and they actually promoted "No need to download an app. Just order online at food.example" and you got a nice mobile optimized web site.
- charcircuit 5y ago
  You can downloaded an apk from a web browser and install it.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - kingcharles 5y ago
    Sure, you and I can do that. But as a developer wanting to distribute my app, how do I persuade every potential user to go that route? It feels sketchy as fuck when you are doing it.

LinAGKar 5y ago

What's the alternative? Google essentially has a monopoly on distributing Android apps.

BeetleB 5y ago
The alternative is to find a business model that doesn't involve making mobile apps. Businesses are much older than smartphones.
heavyset_go 5y ago
This. If you want to make any kind of mobile app, you have to deal with the Apple and Google duopoly that's had a stranglehold on the mobile app distribution market for over a decade now.
shadowgovt 5y ago
The alternative is don't feed the dragon. There are already enough Android apps in the world; don't incentivize the ecosystem by building more. Build for another platform or build for something other than mobile devices.
- syshum 5y ago
  Right I will build for iOS.... ohh wait.... Ok that is out... so what is the other platform?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - wackget 5y ago
    Web. Your app almost certainly doesn't actually need to be an app anyway.
    - Flankk 5y ago
      70% of app store revenue comes from games. Annual mobile game revenue is $93 billion. Do you have an example of what you're talking about?
    - heavyset_go 5y ago
      60% of mobile users in the US use iOS, and Apple has hobbled mobile Safari's browser and JavaScript engines in order to prevent web apps from implementing basic of features that native apps have had for a decade. You can't even work around that problem because Apple bans any other browser or scripting engine from being distributed on iOS, so users are stuck with an intentionally limited browser for web apps, which makes web apps second-class citizens on the platform.
sseneca 5y ago
F-Droid?
- heavyset_go 5y ago
  F-Droid is a second-class citizen on billions of existing Android phones, tablets and streaming devices. Google also shows numerous scary warnings meant to trick users into believing that F-Droid is going to hack them or give them malware should they try to use it.
cube00 5y ago
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are slowly getting us there, even though Apple fights tooth and nail at every step of the way. I attended an event that had mobile food ordering and they actually promoted "No need to download an app. Just order online at food.example" and you got a nice mobile optimized web site.
charcircuit 5y ago
You can downloaded an apk from a web browser and install it.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- kingcharles 5y ago
  Sure, you and I can do that. But as a developer wanting to distribute my app, how do I persuade every potential user to go that route? It feels sketchy as fuck when you are doing it.