Al, We finally made the decision to pull the plug too. There are about 10 different reasons all related to how Google has handled everything over the past year. From complete absence of communication, to the lack of RC33 on ADP1, and the terrible return/refund policy put us over the top. If we wanted to create a free trial period we would have! We just kicked out our second app half finished, put it on the market, and closed up our Android development.
It is sad that Google could mess this up so badly, but then again, are we that surprised that a company which releases everything in Beta couldn't get this right? Well, let's hope Microsoft and Blackberry learn from Google's mistake because we have now moved our Android guys to these other devices. I hope we can come back to the platform, but as of now Google is just to immature to support it. Kevin On Feb 19, 12:38 pm, "nEx.Software" <justin.shapc...@gmail.com> wrote: > Definitely an understandable concern. > > On Feb 19, 10:30 am, Al Sutton <a...@funkyandroid.com> wrote: > > > Market currently gives us an unrivalled channel to get our service > > infront of Android users, and we can see competitors using it to quickly > > gain a foot hold, so it's something that has to either be part of the > > rollout or we'll have to increase spending on marketing and PR by an > > order of magnitude to try and reach the same audience, which doesn't > > make financial sense. > > > That said, if Koolu ship the half million plus units they're predicting > > with the AndAppStore client installed, that may give us a viable route > > to a significant market with no payment method restrictions and we may > > start work again. > > > Al. > > > nEx.Software wrote: > > > Just out of curiosity... Why not simply sell from outside of the > > > Market? > > > I understand it is not as convenient to do so but maybe is the > > > solution for you? > > > > Do we know what TeleNav is doing? Can't you follow their subscription > > > model? > > > > On Feb 19, 10:11 am, Al Sutton <a...@funkyandroid.com> wrote: > > > >> The application we were working on would not be of any use without the > > >> user subscribing to the service and therefore any payments collected > > >> could voilate the "This should not be used as an alternative means to > > >> the Android MarketPayment Processor to collect payment for usage of > > >> applications." piece from text you've quoted. > > > >> The service was very much orientated around the Android OS, so access > > >> from other platforms would be of limited use, which would re-enforce any > > >> claim by Google that payments for the service were actually a payments > > >> for using the application, even if we gave the application away for free. > > > >> Al. > > > >> dar wrote: > > > >>> Thehttp://www.android.com/market/terms/developer-content-policy.html > > >>> states: > > > >>> "Developers should onlychargefor applications and downloads from > > >>> Android Market through the Market's Payment Processor. Developers may > > >>> offer free applications as access points to paid services for which > > >>> customers have registered and provided payment information. This > > >>> should not be used as an alternative means to the Android Market > > >>> Payment Processor to collect payment for usage of applications. " > > > >>> This is on my company's roadmap, so I'm curious how you came to the > > >>> conclusion that this is not allowed. > > > >>> You'll just have to find a different payment processor to do your paid > > >>> services, and it shouldn't be hard to find one that will do > > >>> subscriptions. You just need to be careful about separating the > > >>> payment between the services and the android application. Such that > > >>> if you offer the android app for free - you can neverchargefor the > > >>> android app, only the data & services it consumes. > > > >>> On Feb 19, 8:30 am, Al Sutton <a...@funkyandroid.com> wrote: > > > >>>> Well, after a meeting of the directors, my company has just decided to > > >>>> shelve a project that was in development due to the short commings of > > >>>> Market and it's T&Cs. > > > >>>> The project was going to offer a subscription service and would have > > >>>> met > > >>>> the all the criteria for being listed on Market, but Market clearly > > >>>> can't handle subscription services. We considered the > > >>>> app-per-subscription period approach but that would mean that Google > > >>>> would have a claim to 30% of all subscription fees and because the > > >>>> subscription fees were planned to be less than $10 per billing period > > >>>> Google would also have the right to refund a users subscription fee at > > >>>> any time without consulting us. > > > >>>> So I'd be interested to know who else is in this boat because I think > > >>>> it's something that Google need to be made aware of so that can start > > >>>> addressing the problem. > > > >>>> Al. > > > >>>> -- > > >>>> ====== > > >>>> Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the > > >>>> company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, > > >>>> 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. > > > >>>> The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not > > >>>> necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's > > >>>> subsidiaries. > > > >> -- > > >> ====== > > >> Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the > > >> company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, > > >> 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. > > > >> The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not > > >> necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's > > >> subsidiaries. > > > -- > > ====== > > Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the > > company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, > > 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. > > > The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not > > necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's > > subsidiaries. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---