App Stores: The Race for Quality

[Bateluer]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/07/21/the-race-to-app-store-quality/

The issue of quality in app stores have been raised a few times here at AT as well. Android Market is going to outstrip Apple's App Store in sheer quantity, there's no argument against that. The problem is that both app stores are loaded with so much junk and bloat.

How can Google maintain an 'open' market place for devs to work in if they have an approval process and can deny/approve apps? I would hope that they would clearly state the conditions for approval and stick by them.

 

[dguy6789]

They simply need to add more genres to sort by and also an option to sort by rating within each genre. That would make it easier to find specific types of apps that are good.

 

[TheWart]

Interesting read. I largely agree with the author's points, especially:

Android OS does have a growing issue of copyright infringement with ringtones, trademarks, and even flat out stolen content that Google needs to address.

Google is going to have to crack down on this stuff, but I wonder if it will make the 'open is best' crowd upset. It will be interesting to see how Google balances this vocal community with the demands of copyright holders who have a legitimate claim with some of the stuff that you can easily find on the Android app store.

 

[JD50]

Interesting read. I largely agree with the author's points, especially:


Google is going to have to crack down on this stuff, but I wonder if it will make the 'open is best' crowd upset. It will be interesting to see how Google balances this vocal community with the demands of copyright holders who have a legitimate claim with some of the stuff that you can easily find on the Android app store.

The people that actually understand what "open" means will be fine with it, you still have to respect trademarks, copyrights, etc...

 

[JD50]

They simply need to add more genres to sort by and also an option to sort by rating within each genre. That would make it easier to find specific types of apps that are good.

:thumbsup:

 

[Raduque]

I'd like to see searches filterable. Sort by paid/free, alphabetical by title, developer, type of app, rating, etc.

 

[TheStu]

The people that actually understand what "open" means will be fine with it, you still have to respect trademarks, copyrights, etc...

Right, but there seems to be a large number of people that simply want to hide behind the Android banner and scream 'It's Open!!!!' at the top of their lungs to whitewash any flaws that the OS might have. 'There are a bunch of really shady apps on the Market.' "It's Open!".

 

[Patranus]

Verizon will have to tell google to start limiting/disabling some applications in the near future. It is inevitable.

 

[abaez]

Verizon will have to tell google to start limiting/disabling some applications in the near future. It is inevitable.

And Google will laugh in their face. I'm sure Google is working on making sure that apps can be properly classified and searched/filtered by, but if an app is fully within the guidelines I'm sure Google would tell Verizon, or any other company, to f off.

 

[theeedude]

Right, but there seems to be a large number of people that simply want to hide behind the Android banner and scream 'It's Open!!!!' at the top of their lungs to whitewash any flaws that the OS might have. 'There are a bunch of really shady apps on the Market.' "It's Open!".

So don't install the shady apps. Doesn't sound like an OS flaw at all.

 

[TheWart]

So don't install the shady apps. Doesn't sound like an OS flaw at all.

I won't speak for TheStu, but I would hazard a guess that the issue is not so much one of users inadvertently installing some shady scam app as much as it is legitimate copyright holders being pissed off that their stuff is being sold on the app store without their permission.

 

[theeedude]

I won't speak for TheStu, but I would hazard a guess that the issue is not so much one of users inadvertently installing some shady scam app as much as it is legitimate copyright holders being pissed off that their stuff is being sold on the app store without their permission.

Sounds like their problem.

 

[Bateluer]

And Google will laugh in their face. I'm sure Google is working on making sure that apps can be properly classified and searched/filtered by, but if an app is fully within the guidelines I'm sure Google would tell Verizon, or any other company, to f off.

Agreed. Google shouldn't be heavy handed in app approval, let people upload what they wish If an app is uploaded to Android Market and its a scam, shady, or in copyright violation, then Google can act and remove the app from Market until the dev corrects the issue. Keep in mind that Google is not an agent of the law, if an app is violating copyrights, Google should remove it but its not up to Google to bring the offending dev to court, press charges, etc. That's for the copyright owner.

So don't install the shady apps. Doesn't sound like an OS flaw at all.

Agreed. Its pretty easy NOT to install an app, and the shady ones are pretty easy to peg from the comments and descriptions.


Lastly, this thread is focused on the Android Market when the issue affects all app stores, Apple, Google, RIM, and Microsoft's. They all are racing to inflate their app store numbers as fast as possible. Many apps are simply skins, or apps that are essentially junk. Android Market classifies a keyboard skin as an app, Apple's store has a thousand 'fart' apps, etc. RIM and Palm don't really have the numbers to paint a picture yet. Microsoft's app store is the youngest, although WinMo apps can be found in more places than just MS's store.

 

[Patranus]

And Google will laugh in their face. I'm sure Google is working on making sure that apps can be properly classified and searched/filtered by, but if an app is fully within the guidelines I'm sure Google would tell Verizon, or any other company, to f off.

So when there is network congestion and there are Apps in the Google App Store that only only adds to network congestion but undercuts some of the most profitable services offered by Verizon you think that Verizon is going to take the hit for google?

Right.

 

[abaez]

So when there is network congestion and there are Apps in the Google App Store that only only adds to network congestion but undercuts some of the most profitable services offered by Verizon you think that Verizon is going to take the hit for google?

Right.

They already are. PDANet is an app that lets you do *wired* tethering no matter what any phone company says. It's been available from the beginning and nothing can be done about it.

Google Navigation cuts into all of the carriers own navigation apps, and for free. There's no way any carrier would/could block Google Nav in favor of their own. That's just how it is now. Things are changing slowly.

 

[Patranus]

They already are. PDANet is an app that lets you do *wired* tethering no matter what any phone company says. It's been available from the beginning and nothing can be done about it.

Google Navigation cuts into all of the carriers own navigation apps, and for free. There's no way any carrier would/could block Google Nav in favor of their own. That's just how it is now. Things are changing slowly.

And if I was a betting man I would bet the Verizon will either ban these apps from their network, especially if the iPhone goes to Verizon.

 

[abaez]

You can't ban apps from being downloaded and installed from the official Android Marketplace. Outside sources yes (AT&T), but not from the Marketplace.

And unless Verizon blocks all data going to whatever server Google has for navigation (maps.google.com?), there is nothing Verizon can do to block this.

 

[Patranus]

You can't ban apps from being downloaded and installed from the official Android Marketplace. Outside sources yes (AT&T), but not from the Marketplace.

And unless Verizon blocks all data going to whatever server Google has for navigation (maps.google.com?), there is nothing Verizon can do to block this.

I don't think you are getting what I am saying.
Lets put it this way, what good is Android for Google if not carrier stocks phones running the Android OS?

 

[Spoooon]

Sounds like their problem.

Not really. If we want to see quality apps, piracy, copyright violations, etc. needs to be minimized. Judging by the downloads and ratings given to Tetris clones and the like, the consumer is not going to regulate this.

Why would someone put the resources into making a quality game if the marketplace gets flooded with copycats?

At the very least, we need an option to report that an app is a concern due to this and then see them get pulled.

 

[theeedude]

Not really. If we want to see quality apps, piracy, copyright violations, etc. needs to be minimized. Judging by the downloads and ratings given to Tetris clones and the like, the consumer is not going to regulate this.

Because it's not a problem for the consumer, just like iPhone users don't care if the birds game is a rip off of an online catapult game. If it works, it works.

Why would someone put the resources into making a quality game if the marketplace gets flooded with copycats?
At the very least, we need an option to report that an app is a concern due to this and then see them get pulled.

Copyright owner can write a take-down letter to google. I am not interested in being copyright cop as consumer, it's not my problem.

 

[Spoooon]

Because it's not a problem for the consumer, just like iPhone users don't care if the birds game is a rip off of an online catapult game. If it works, it works.
Copyright owner can write a take-down letter to google. I am not interested in being copyright cop as consumer, it's not my problem.

And that's why we can't have nice things...

 

[TheWart]

They already are. PDANet is an app that lets you do *wired* tethering no matter what any phone company says. It's been available from the beginning and nothing can be done about it.

Google Navigation cuts into all of the carriers own navigation apps, and for free. There's no way any carrier would/could block Google Nav in favor of their own. That's just how it is now. Things are changing slowly.

I am not so sure...

That is exactly what the Chinese mobile industry is doing with OPhone. They are creating a completely distinct third-party Android software ecosystem that is independent from Google and they are building a heavily-customized userspace stack that integrates with completely different Web services and allows them to deliver the kind of user experience that they want.

In effect, they are using Android—but not Google's Android. They don't need Google's Android Market and they aren't necessarily integrating with Google's search or other services. When you think about it in those terms, it makes Android's ascent towards dominance in Asia seem like a hollow victory for Google.

 

[TheStu]

So don't install the shady apps. Doesn't sound like an OS flaw at all.

Alright fine, instead of shady apps... pick any other example, of any other flaw on Android OS. There are people that will defend it based solely on the Open banner. We would call them fandroids. Much like there are those that will defend any choice that Apple makes with the rationale that they obviously know what is best for us.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Wart, what you posted bypassed ALL google apps.

After all the advertising that VZW has done for Android and the "Droid Market" I don't see them shipping a phone without the Market.

 

[theeedude]

Alright fine, instead of shady apps... pick any other example, of any other flaw on Android OS. There are people that will defend it based solely on the Open banner. We would call them fandroids. Much like there are those that will defend any choice that Apple makes with the rationale that they obviously know what is best for us.

strawman