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by dannywoodz 4153 days ago
Interestingly, it works if you request the desktop site: they're explicitly blocking Firefox Mobile.
1 comments

They probably just don't want you accessing the store from a browser on mobile when you can be using their app.

I don't think this is some malicious betrayal of trust, even if its a stupid thing to do.

You can access the store from Chrome on mobile
Gave you an up-vote, not sure why you're being down-voted for making a perfectly logical assumption.

It's annoying if in fact it's very specifically Firefox Mobile and nothing else, but I agree, if the app has the better experience, they likely want to funnel everyone that way.

Edit: aaaand down-voted. What is the actual problem here?

Because as qntmfred said, you can access the store from Chrome.
Which, as LiroXIV said, is missing the point. If they publish the Google Play store as a web site, it should work on all standard-compliant web browsers.

If they want it to be accessed only from the Android app, fine, but then don't make it available to the Chrome browser either. That kind of "only-works-with-products-from-the-same-vendor" bundling is what got Microsoft convicted for monopolistic practices back in the day.

I think you're misunderstanding me. I'm not using that to justify Google's actions, I'm explaining to him why he's being downvoted. By virtue of it being available on Chrome, his argument that this action is intended to funnel users to the app is weak. I suspect that's what qntmfred meant too.
I think you guys just illustrated why one line comments are high school cafeteria meatballs (you're never sure if you're getting asda ground beef or the jock's latest bm).

I was sure (until I read the explanation) that qntmfred was telling zanny that it was a malicious betrayal of trust and LiroXIV was enigmatically defending google's choice, but then you guys are saying that actually the two of them (and all children) were agreeing without realizing it.

This isn't 4chan please take more than 2 seconds to compose your comment.