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TLDR: Application banned for not using a Google-blessed payment option which Google has not enabled for the country in which the developer actually lives. In t

TLDR: Application banned for not using a Google-blessed payment option which Google has not enabled for the country in which the developer actually lives. In that case I guess the only other option is going completely free? How many developers will be willing to accept that position? Do Google really think they can create a thriving ecosystem and market if they start throwing around inconsistent and conflicting rules and enforcement around apps? Yes, inconsistent enforcement sort of worked for Apple, but they at least had a coherent platform. The things they required developers to use were actually available to the them. Google asking developers to use things they wont enable for them is just a symbol of how Google has grown to such a size that the left hand no longer knows what the right hand is doing. This is like watching Microsoft all over again.

teh_klev 13y ago
"This is like watching Microsoft all over again." Doing what, specifically?
- josteink 13y ago
  It's hard to pinpoint exactly, but there was a time when it became clear that Microsoft's actions as a whole were increasingly getting less and less coordinated. They could say one thing on one event, and another division could say something completely conflicting a week or two later. Their execution strategy and ability to put the entire company behind it has been sorely lacking for many years, something even Ballmer recognized before announcing he was stepping down. This is ofcourse 100% subjective and not very scientific, but IMO we are seeing the same trends with Google. They have different divisions saying and doing different things (like here). They have no clear strategy or message about where they're going next. You have the smudge of partially or completely overlapping platforms like Chrome, ChromeOS and Android. For ages you've had Google talk (IM), Google Voice (and or regular SMS depending on geographic region) and G+. Now they've started looking into consolidation, but it took them years. Google is fragmenting at their seams with a myriad of platforms and services, and their attempts at putting things back together seems mostly driven by the G+ initiate, a initiate which has faced massive user-criticism due to the way it is being executed. This feedback, had it been taken to heart, would have led to changes around G+ but so far we've seen none. This is like Microsoft and the whole Metro/Win8 fiasco. They think they're too big to fail and just keep on pushing. All in all, all those small pieces start to add up. A lot of the things we saw with Microsoft, we're seeing again with Google.
ishansharma 13y ago
The main problem with Google is their lack of customer care. I had my Adsense account rejected a few years back for no reason (there was no bad activity) and when I appealed, their response was the same "We have reviewed your appeal and can't do anything about it."
- Nilzor 13y ago
  Lol.. Adsense. Don't get started. You probably never had an actually living human being reviewing your appeal. They love programming at Google.
- conradfr 13y ago
  It happened to me. I try to forget it to avoid uncovering the rage buried deep my brain :)
  - billmalarky 13y ago
    I had successfully forgot about them doing it to me, but I get reminded every time they pull stunts like this. Which seems to be almost constantly now that they touch so much of the tech industry yet have refused to improve this aspect of their company.
- LoganCale 13y ago
  Same. The closest to any sort of answer I was able to get was something suggesting the clicks from my site's visitors weren't profitable enough for them therefore I'm permanently banned from ever putting AdSense ads on that or any other site I may make in the future.
NickSharp 13y ago
The app in question was using Paypal. Right or wrong, there is no way Google is going to let developers use Paypal instead of their own Google billing, for which they keep 30%.
- darklajid 13y ago
  I think you're missing the point where - Google wouldn't even accept the developer into their own 'Take 30% of my income' program - Other popular apps get away with that (using Paypal) just fine So.. arbitrary, idiotic and no way to talk to a human. There's no way to justify that.
  - FedRegister 13y ago
    And the author was willing to push a mandatory update that disabled the PayPal IAP.
  - poopsintub 13y ago
    I think you're missing the point. Google is god. You either follow the TOS or get booted eventually, if or when they find out.
  - mjmahone17 13y ago
    The other crappy thing is, even if the developer has a working version on another app store, there's no way (under the terms) to say "Sorry, you can't do that here, but here's a link to a version of the app that does allow it". I think even mentioning Amazon's app store ("you can also download this app in the Amazon app store", for instance) would be enough to get you banned.
- furyofantares 13y ago
  Unless they've recently renegotiated, Google only gets 5% and the other 25% goes to the carrier. I'm not sure why the carriers in the counties where Play doesn't support payments haven't been able to get Google to implement support though.
  - 13y ago
alextingle 13y ago
It's sad to see them go from "Do no Evil" to "Pray we don't alter the deal any further" in just a few short years.
- einhverfr 13y ago
  Dude, it you check out http://www.google.com/ideas/ http://www.google.com/ideas/, they are looking a bit like a defence contractor these days.
  - nilkn 13y ago
    You weren't kidding. That reminds me of Palantir a bit.
    - alextingle 13y ago
      OCP? http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/Omni_Consumer_Products http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/Omni_Consumer_Products
  - bradyd 13y ago
    Well, they did by Boston Dynamics, so they actually are a defense contractor now.

teh_klev 13y ago

"This is like watching Microsoft all over again." Doing what, specifically?

josteink 13y ago
It's hard to pinpoint exactly, but there was a time when it became clear that Microsoft's actions as a whole were increasingly getting less and less coordinated. They could say one thing on one event, and another division could say something completely conflicting a week or two later. Their execution strategy and ability to put the entire company behind it has been sorely lacking for many years, something even Ballmer recognized before announcing he was stepping down. This is ofcourse 100% subjective and not very scientific, but IMO we are seeing the same trends with Google. They have different divisions saying and doing different things (like here). They have no clear strategy or message about where they're going next. You have the smudge of partially or completely overlapping platforms like Chrome, ChromeOS and Android. For ages you've had Google talk (IM), Google Voice (and or regular SMS depending on geographic region) and G+. Now they've started looking into consolidation, but it took them years. Google is fragmenting at their seams with a myriad of platforms and services, and their attempts at putting things back together seems mostly driven by the G+ initiate, a initiate which has faced massive user-criticism due to the way it is being executed. This feedback, had it been taken to heart, would have led to changes around G+ but so far we've seen none. This is like Microsoft and the whole Metro/Win8 fiasco. They think they're too big to fail and just keep on pushing. All in all, all those small pieces start to add up. A lot of the things we saw with Microsoft, we're seeing again with Google.

ishansharma 13y ago

The main problem with Google is their lack of customer care. I had my Adsense account rejected a few years back for no reason (there was no bad activity) and when I appealed, their response was the same "We have reviewed your appeal and can't do anything about it."

Nilzor 13y ago
Lol.. Adsense. Don't get started. You probably never had an actually living human being reviewing your appeal. They love programming at Google.
conradfr 13y ago
It happened to me. I try to forget it to avoid uncovering the rage buried deep my brain :)
- billmalarky 13y ago
  I had successfully forgot about them doing it to me, but I get reminded every time they pull stunts like this. Which seems to be almost constantly now that they touch so much of the tech industry yet have refused to improve this aspect of their company.
LoganCale 13y ago
Same. The closest to any sort of answer I was able to get was something suggesting the clicks from my site's visitors weren't profitable enough for them therefore I'm permanently banned from ever putting AdSense ads on that or any other site I may make in the future.

NickSharp 13y ago

The app in question was using Paypal. Right or wrong, there is no way Google is going to let developers use Paypal instead of their own Google billing, for which they keep 30%.

darklajid 13y ago
I think you're missing the point where - Google wouldn't even accept the developer into their own 'Take 30% of my income' program - Other popular apps get away with that (using Paypal) just fine So.. arbitrary, idiotic and no way to talk to a human. There's no way to justify that.
- FedRegister 13y ago
  And the author was willing to push a mandatory update that disabled the PayPal IAP.
- poopsintub 13y ago
  I think you're missing the point. Google is god. You either follow the TOS or get booted eventually, if or when they find out.
- mjmahone17 13y ago
  The other crappy thing is, even if the developer has a working version on another app store, there's no way (under the terms) to say "Sorry, you can't do that here, but here's a link to a version of the app that does allow it". I think even mentioning Amazon's app store ("you can also download this app in the Amazon app store", for instance) would be enough to get you banned.
furyofantares 13y ago
Unless they've recently renegotiated, Google only gets 5% and the other 25% goes to the carrier. I'm not sure why the carriers in the counties where Play doesn't support payments haven't been able to get Google to implement support though.
- 13y ago

alextingle 13y ago

It's sad to see them go from "Do no Evil" to "Pray we don't alter the deal any further" in just a few short years.

einhverfr 13y ago
Dude, it you check out http://www.google.com/ideas/ http://www.google.com/ideas/, they are looking a bit like a defence contractor these days.
- nilkn 13y ago
  You weren't kidding. That reminds me of Palantir a bit.
  - alextingle 13y ago
    OCP? http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/Omni_Consumer_Products http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/Omni_Consumer_Products
- bradyd 13y ago
  Well, they did by Boston Dynamics, so they actually are a defense contractor now.