Breaking Up with Google Play: Why Conversations Is Now Free (gultsch.de)

Article summary

The developer of the Conversations instant messaging app has decided to make the app free, citing a toxic relationship with Google and the Google Play Store. The developer had been charging for the app on the Play Store, but has become economically independent due to grants and other funding sources. The developer expresses frustration with Google's review process, fees, and lack of human support. The app is now available for free on F-Droid.

Main themes

• Google Play Store issues
• app store monopolies
• developer frustration
• regulation and antitrust
• free market vs public utility
• customer treatment and data exploitation

What commenters say

• Google's 15% cut from app sales is too high and not justified by the services they provide.
• The Google Play Store's review process is flawed and can be harmful to developers, but it also provides some protection against malicious software.
• The app store model is a form of monopoly that extracts rent from developers without providing sufficient value.
• Regulation is needed to address the issues with app stores and ensure fair treatment of developers.
• Google's primary concern is not the well-being of its customers, but rather its own profits and maintaining its market position.
• The concept of a free market does not apply to essential services like communication, which should be regulated or state-owned.
• Developers are not just customers of Google, but also provide valuable data and services that are sold to other customers, and should be treated as such.
• The lack of alternatives to Google Play and other dominant app stores is a major obstacle to change and improvement.