Anyone else think the play store has had such a constant decline to the point where you can barely find an app without being flooded with ads. I pretty much only use f droid at this point because the quality of apps is just higher

  • essteeyou@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    They used to have a nice obvious detail page for every app, now I get some small entry, a bunch of other apps that I might also want to install (spoiler, I don’t), and it’s harder to see useful information.

    Do they really think I’ve gone to the Play Store to install my bank’s app, but I might also want to install a different bank’s app?

    • SanguinePar@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      One thing in Google’s defence (I know…) is that it may be the makers of those other apps successfully optimising their apps search terms and SEO tags and so on, so that they appear when the user has searched for a different app.

      Obviously it’s still on Google for relying too much on an algorithm that doesn’t prioritise the app name enough, but people gaming the system doesn’t help either.

      • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
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        7 months ago

        Nah, this changed literally overnight. One day search worked, next time I used it, it was this shit.

        It was clearly a change by Google.

  • Fake4000@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    The playstore is just flooded with garbage apps.

    Once my apps are installed, the play store is only there for updates. Searching for new apps on the store is just rubbish.

  • aluminium@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Not only the Playstore, same is true for the iOS Appstore as well. You only get served subscription begging crap there.

    • StitchIsABitch@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Yeah my negative review of the Reddit app got removed for not being “truthful” when I (imo fairly) reviewed it as the dumpster fire it is.

      • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I had an app that did a simple job, and worked flawlessly for more than a year. Then it suddenly started putting display-filling ads in my message feed. I looked things up, and learned that the app has been bought by some online shopping profitteer company, and not only spews ads, but also collects all kinds of data all of a sudden.

        If that does not describe a “shitty app”, I don’t know. One Star Review (would have given 0 stars if possible), and instant uninstall.

  • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    Yeah, at some point, I was experimenting with basically firewall apps to prevent tracking and realized that around 99% of apps on the Play Store have tracking built-in. As I later learned, that’s because Google heavily encourages it in their app development tooling. Either way, F-Droid it is for me.

  • Detective'@slrpnk.net
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    7 months ago

    Don’t think many people are aware of the app called App Finder. It’s really great for finding new apps, has way better search filters and doesn’t require Google account whatsoever. Exists in Playstore and as an APK from their own website.

    https://skyica.com/appfinder/

  • pr06lefs@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    Ah, the “play store”. Happy playground of spending! Starting off on the wrong foot with just the name. Of course its a trashed up ad spew bucket and dark pattern shitehole.

  • androidisking@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Not only it’s a nightmare but also invasive. I don’t want Google Play scanning my apps constantly. Play protect has proven time and time again to not be very effective at stopping malicious apps. Turn that shit off.

    Call me a control freak but what I usually do is update my apps, turn off internet access to the Google play store and only grant internet access back to it when I decide I want to update my apps.

    Ads being flooded was expected to happen. It was only a matter of when they were going to start bloating the play store.

    Remember, companies don’t care about YOU. They are only there to make profit.

  • shortwavesurfer@monero.town
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    7 months ago

    I use Aurora store if I absolutely need an application from the Google Garden. But otherwise, yes, I agree. I use almost exclusively fdroid.

  • Legend@lemmy.sdf.org
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    7 months ago

    I solely live out on fdroid and do not have play store and let me tell you it is really really better.