[archvile]

Google has no incentive to police the store or protect it’s user’s devices. They only care about getting more people on the Android platform so they can increase their search and advertising revenue. They could give 2 shits about the Play Store.

[Joeri]

The fact that android is such a mess is the reason I use an iphone. If and when they start caring about the quality of the android experience, including the play store, I may be tempted back.

[rhizome]

Meanwhile: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15627880

[skinnymuch]

That seems like a rare occurrence. My macOS install is screwed up. I'm not entirely sure if it's something on my end, the hard drive, MacOS or something else. But I'm not going to straight up just blame macOS or Apple MacBook hardware for the issue when maintenance others do not seem to be having the issue. That seems far too assuming and rash.

[izacus]

So you won't blame Apple, but will blame Google? :)

[mcgarnagle]

But that's counter intuitive. I for one don't use android simply because of the play store. If you take care of the developers, they'll take care of the apps which will bring the people in.

[kornish]

One incentive to police the store is that quality is a draw for users.

[noxToken]

What's the alternative, iOS? That's great for people with financial stability in developed nations, but that leaves out swathes of those in developing nations.

[tehwebguy]

Old & new previous-gen iPhones are available at Android prices, including “free with contract” (in the US at least).

They aren’t cutting edge, but neither are the equivalently priced Androids.

[ben_w]

I have an Android dev phone that cost £19, no contract, about half-to-a-third the price of a then-equivalent second-hand iPhone. In third world countries even a £19 device is worth stealing, as a friend of my partner experienced.

[tehwebguy]

Wow, that is cheaper than I expected. What brand?

[ben_w]

Vodafone sold it (pay as you go, no contract) with only their brand visible, but I think it’s an Alcatel device under the paint. The model is no longer being made, but their current cheapest model is almost as cheap.

[arvinsim]

Old iPhones are still prohibitively expensive in developing countries. Brand new low/midrange Android phones usually cost half or less.

[noxToken]

Good catch. Didn't even think about that.

[jhasse]

F-Droid