Matt Gemmell: Android is made for piracy

The controversy began when the Trigger Dead developers decided to put their Google Play free game, because nobody bought them at $ 0.99, something really sad, reflecting users and Android as a platform unprofitable. To sell games, applications, anything, is extremely complicated, not so in IOS and Windows Phone. The problem comes when the company that sponsors and manages Google Android Play, you want the application is free and takes advertising.

Matt Gemmell, IOS developer has given the community great pieces of Cocoa Touch, Android has lashed out in a lengthy article on his blog , summarized in one sentence: Android is built for piracy. It is clear that the freedom that gives Android users is a good thing But how far should we allow this? How damaged is the ecosystem?

Returning to the first paragraph, the question is simple: if looking for "name> <application apk" in Google I have exactly the same application with Google paying Play without rootear, jailbrakear or anything like it, why should I pay ? Unfortunately it is something I have to tell escuhado many Android users I know, even the same platform developers who have already assumed that Google will not sell anything and choose Play advertising model in your applications, giving real miseries of AdSense or platform ads whatsoever. But is that Google is interested. (Note: all my Developments for Android is open source and free, is solidarity with those trying to earn a living from it).

And I am so sure that I'll bet a beer that most Android users who have paid apps on your phone, have not paid for them. But watch, not the fault of users, at least not in all cases, with Gameloft games that border the 6 € almost understand. But seriously, it gives you so many things for $ 0.99 to encourage a developer to improve the application? It is not the value or a Coca-Cola.

A business model that does not work

Following the thread of piracy and who or what is to blame, it reflects well Gemmell: piracy is the fault of a business model that failed. And Google Play is a clear example of a store that does not work, with frequent Aptoide use any repository or pirate who is over the network, because Play fails to give users what they want quality. Do not think you can blame people for piracy if there are applications and also some very bad simply connect a USB and mark a checkbox.

I sincerely believe that the only reason that is still developing for Android is the enormous amount of market share you have, doing, sometimes even advertising to be profitable. Certainly not for the monetization outright purchase model. And here is where it meets the business model that Google wants to sell, he agrees with AdMod and AdSense. Then we found a store that does not control the quality of applications and a company that controls the store and also interested to climb as many of them free of charge and advertising inserted in addition to developers who want to try to have their lucky strike.

Freedom vs piracy

"No, you're a fanboy of Windows Phone that does not like the freedom that Android has", "Is your accumulated anger because nobody buys your applications." The first No. I am about to answer in this section, to second: do not sell any application, all are free and the code available to anyone, most without advertising.

Some would argue that being able to easily load applications is what gives you the freedom to Android, and what makes it good and complies with the philosophy of free software and stuff. But I wonder: where is the limit of freedom and piracy? How many people use this ability to share your applications with others without going through Play?

Try telling some that sometimes freedom is bad , that the fact of choosing a lot is bad, that have a closed ecosystem is good and you will fall on loving you kill.

But do not understand that sometimes have some control over the ecosystem of applications to offer users quality, safety and functionality. Play Google is full of applications unusable, useless and cases have occurred in people who have been able to upload malicious code to applications Play.

Freedom in a platform is not profitable unless the OS or fabriques terminals, and most of us do not do that. (...) Regardless of the fact that Google does not care about freedom per se, but is an easy route to take ads from your eyes.

And boy does it have earned AdSense or AdMob Android users since it came out.