Google 'Not Happy' with Android Market Purchases.

[erikistired]

Rovio made comments about paid apps not selling well on android, hence the free but ad supported Angry Birds on Android.

which is odd, because i'd happily toss a few bucks Rovios way to get rid of the ad support on my android version of angry birds. i play it enough that they deserve it, but they won't take it! or don't have a way set up for me to give it to them.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I've been an Android user since the G1, and the Android marketplace has been a fail from day 1. I change roms more frequently than I wash my underwear, and end up redownloading lots of apps frequently, it's a shame that Google, THE search engine of choice, the company whos name has become a verb for search, is a flipping mess to find anything in.

Burn it down and start over...

 

[the DRIZZLE]

I've been an Android user since the G1, and the Android marketplace has been a fail from day 1. I change roms more frequently than I wash my underwear, and end up redownloading lots of apps frequently, it's a shame that Google, THE search engine of choice, the company whos name has become a verb for search, is a flipping mess to find anything in.

Burn it down and start over...

Yeah it's pretty hard to find apps even if you know the name of the one you're looking for.

 

[zerocool84]

Yeah it's pretty hard to find apps even if you know the name of the one you're looking for.

Even if you search for it specifically sometimes it'll still be hard to find.

 

[DivideBYZero]

I've never bought a single app. All free for me. As long as they don't remove sideloading of apps, I won't care. As soon as they do remove it, Android is just about dead to me.

So you just pirate all your phone apps? Wow.

 

[shortylickens]

Even if you search for it specifically sometimes it'll still be hard to find.

Well, I've never had THAT problem. That seems kinda strange, the search works just fine for me. But I do know that when I'm just browsing its kinda clunky, and the new pretty interface does not help at all. And most of the apps are in the wrong category and theres not enough or specific enough categories.

 

[MrX8503]

I think pirating a few apps is ok, but your whole collection? Thats a bit overboard. Apps exist because developers take the time to make them, they have families too.

Apps are only a few dollars and honestly...how many apps do you need to own?

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Well, I've never had THAT problem. That seems kinda strange, the search works just fine for me. But I do know that when I'm just browsing its kinda clunky, and the new pretty interface does not help at all. And most of the apps are in the wrong category and theres not enough or specific enough categories.

For example search for ADW Launcher. Theres so many themes that it's almost impossible to find the actual launcher app. It should be the first result.

 

[Anubis]

TBH ADW is the only thing ive ever had issues finding on the market. everything else ive searched for ive found. and i generally search for a very generic term to just get everything and then browse them

 

[slag]

Correct. On iOS its much easier to purchase, which may contribute to people buying more.

Not correct. I use my google checkout account which I have a credit card linked to to pay for the apps. Credit card is on file, I don't have to type it out everytime or anything. It's easier than itunes since I don't have to put in my password every time since all the google apps are linked on my phone.

 

[MrX8503]

Not correct. I use my google checkout account which I have a credit card linked to to pay for the apps. Credit card is on file, I don't have to type it out everytime or anything. It's easier than itunes since I don't have to put in my password every time since all the google apps are linked on my phone.

I still think iOS is easier because most people already have an iTunes account, not only that you can buy/manage apps within iTunes itself. Along with apps there are books and videos too.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I have problems finding Google's own apps in the market

 

[phillyTIM]

Exactly why Apple is leading the market - Apple's App Store is a one-stop shop for everything (apps, payments, approval, etc.).

People who aren't techies don't have ambition or patience to fudge around with linked payment accounts to credit cards and search results that she still has to wade through to get the real app that she wants.

The desktop Windows/Linux paradigms exactly with the mobile Apple/Android comparison for a reason.

 

[shortylickens]

Actually each carrier has an app for doing all your account work. In fact only the original Droid shipped without Verizons preinstalled. It also shipped without ANY Moto or Big Red shit preinstalled.

 

[tatteredpotato]

as someone who has devved an app for both platforms, which are ports of eachother, i have to say that the Apple market is MMUUCCHH better in general.

from creating your app (other than objective c), to packaging your app, to uploading your app and setting all the info, to maintaning your app and looking at stats ... i feel that Apple is far superior. The Android market just feels as though it is in a beta stage, while the apple one is extremely polished.

Now you just have to port to win phone 7 and let us know how they compare

 

[tk149]

Correct me if I'm wrong but with Android don't you need to use your credit card or paypal for each separate app, whereas with IOS you purchase everything through iTunes?

I use Google Checkout. Seems to be about as streamlined as iTunes. In fact, it's too streamlined. Unlike iTunes, it does not require me to put in a password before making a purchase. That's pretty bad considering that I'd like to be able to hand my phone to my 5-year-old kid to watch movies or play a game sometimes.

 

[Anubis]

Actually each carrier has an app for doing all your account work. In fact only the original Droid shipped without Verizons preinstalled. It also shipped without ANY Moto or Big Red shit preinstalled.

and its how every phone should be

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Well for one, Android apps need to be better. Then maybe people will buy them left and right.

Angry Birds doesn't even run as well. If they made it $0.99, it would've sold like mad.

As for piracy, Android piracy isn't as easy as iPhone piracy. Granted you need to JB, but once you JB, Installous and AppTrackr are like heaven. I bet for the next 2 years you won't see anything come close to that even on the Android side... and to think that Installous was already this good from the early days like 6 months into the app store...

For such an open OS, why isn't there something as EASY to use as Installous on Android? There are so many developers, it's so easy to pirate, and yet people have to navigate forums and go to Megaupload to download stuff? Really?

Ok, obviously that doesn't help the case of Google being happy or not, but this is a clear example of how much is just lacking on this OS. Our developers are too busy creating custom ROMs. That's not a bad thing at all, but at the same time, realize the app developers just aren't here.

Apple took a good share of them. You can say what you want about developers coming back of writing for 2 operating systems, but it's like putting a bunch of naked women in front of you. The good ones get taken first. The leftovers are meh. The leftover developers jumped on Android. They're not as good. To get the good ones to come back? Well they already put their prime resources into iOS. Getting them to create a good Android port will take time.

It's because there are so many free apps that do the same thing as the paid ones. Open Marketplace as we know has many good things about it and many bad things about it just like a closed one does. Google and it's partners want to make more money so of course they want to change it. Just like they changed the 24hr return policy to appease the app developers, they're doing this to appease them as well. I personally don't like them doing this as it hurts the consumers more than helps them but as always, they're a business.

Open seems to be the buzzword everytime we compare the two OSes, but honestly, this has nothing to do with why the Android Market sucks balls. Being open is not why Android apps suck compared to iOS apps.

 

[jhansman]

"As for piracy, Android piracy isn't as easy as iPhone piracy. Granted you need to JB, but once you JB, Installous and AppTrackr are like heaven. I bet for the next 2 years you won't see anything come close to that even on the Android side... and to think that Installous was already this good from the early days like 6 months into the app store..."

Clearly, you have never rooted an Android phone. Super One Click make doing so a 10 sec. operation, after which you can install any app you like, and disable the stock garbage the vendors dump on these phone. Changed your mind about rooting? Use the same utility to unroot. Don't want to root? Go with Sideload Wonder Machine.


You should do you homework before making statements like the above...

 

[jhansman]

"As for piracy, Android piracy isn't as easy as iPhone piracy. Granted you need to JB, but once you JB, Installous and AppTrackr are like heaven. I bet for the next 2 years you won't see anything come close to that even on the Android side... and to think that Installous was already this good from the early days like 6 months into the app store..."

Clearly, you have never rooted an Android phone. Super One Click make doing so a 10 sec. operation, after which you can install any app you like, and disable the stock garbage the vendors dump on these phone. Changed your mind about rooting? Use the same utility to unroot. Don't want to root? Go with Sideload Wonder Machine.


You should do you homework before making statements like the above...

 

[HeXen]

as someone who has devved an app for both platforms, which are ports of eachother, i have to say that the Apple market is MMUUCCHH better in general.

from creating your app (other than objective c), to packaging your app, to uploading your app and setting all the info, to maintaning your app and looking at stats ... i feel that Apple is far superior. The Android market just feels as though it is in a beta stage, while the apple one is extremely polished.

curious, what apps specifically do you have on each one?

 

[Red Storm]

This just in, people who prefer cheaper phones/plans and a more open OS tend to also favor free apps over paid ones. Who knew...

With as big a market as Android has, it will always have lots of app developers for it.

 

[notposting]

It does need changes...but with Google driving it I'm not optimistic. Hopefully their 6000 new hires will all be quality control and bug fixers. The "new" Market app (the graphic redesign) is even slower than the old one with no appreciable under the hood changes that I can see. I have no problem paying, and made an effort to buy one every couple weeks...before the 15 minute BS anyway.

 

[Bateluer]

the 15 minute BS anyway.

This should be left up to the dev, IMO. 15 minutes is fine if the app is 200KB and simple. What if the app is 200MB+, or complex? Something like Run Keeper, for example, where I need to take it on a run or two to test it? Or a lengthy game. 15 minutes doesn't cut it for those.

 

[notposting]

This should be left up to the dev, IMO. 15 minutes is fine if the app is 200KB and simple. What if the app is 200MB+, or complex? Something like Run Keeper, for example, where I need to take it on a run or two to test it? Or a lengthy game. 15 minutes doesn't cut it for those.

Yes. If they had set some options (none, 15 minute, 12 hour, 24 hour) that would've been an improvement. On top of that, I've experienced the purchased, but it won't download, issue myself. I think I ended up refunding that one a day later and then trying again and it worked fine. It may have been Titanium Backup if I remember right.