Android Gets Carrier-Operated European App Store

Andrew Smith writes "Android fragmentation begins: EuroDroid reports that Vodafone will launch an Android app store in June, to fill in the European gaps where Google hasn't yet launched the official Android app store. Worrying quote: 'All apps will be pre-selected and tested by [Vodafone's after-sales processor] Arvato Mobile for compatibility with our devices.' Just a few days ago Slashdot covered the suggestion by Barry O'Neil, ex-president of Namco Bandai Network Europe, that it could be wise for Google to 'hand over the entire management of the Android Market to carriers, OEMs, and trusted publishers.'"

Comments

Is it really fragmentation?

[NeutronCowboy]

It seems to me that Vodafone will simply be another repository for android apps - except that they decide what apps to show. What would prevent anybody else from just duplicating everything but the apps over which Vodafone has copyright control?

To me, this seems more like Vodafone creating a windows app store: yes, they control what is shown, but I can still go to download.com, private sites and individual developers to get Windows apps. Same thing for Android. Well, except for those who have Vodafone phones... I'm sure there'll be some trickery on there to prevent users from getting apps from anywhere but the Vodafone store.

Re:Is it really fragmentation?

[ducomputergeek]

Firmware added to "their phones" that only allow users to purchase from their app store. Apple cut the carriers out of the market with the iPhone. The carriers aren't going to let Google do the same.

Re:Is it really fragmentation?

[mlts]

The other shoe may drop soon. Already some Android devices lock out "sideloading" of non-Market apps. Other devices are rumored to lock out both sideloading and access to the phone via ADB, both in an effort to prevent people from rooting the device, and as a way to limit options.

So, I can see some cellphone providers (not naming names) locking out all app stores and ADB on their devices, then only allowing apps to be downloaded from their store... and of course the apps are not going to be free.

Re:Is it really fragmentation?

[davester666]

"Worrying quote: 'All apps will be pre-selected and tested by [Vodafone's after-sales processor] Arvato Mobile for compatibility with our devices.'"

What they really mean:

Worrying quote: 'All apps will be pre-selected and tested by [Vodafone's after-sales processor] Arvato Mobile for compatibility with our business model.'

Re:Is it really fragmentation?

[ConfusedVorlon]

no, the carriers are just too crap to manage that.

they'll tie themselves up in 'appropriate bandwidth usage' and 'brand compatibility guideline' and 'independent testing certification' and 'no external linking policy' and a bajillion other crap requirements that make it impractical or too expensive for independent developers to list their apps.

try listing something at the Orange app store. I jumped through the first few hoops. Then they wrote to me and said they liked my app (for Denmark mind - not internationally). They told me to write to one of their third party suppliers who handled hosting and included two contacts in the email.

I wrote to both (with the orange email attached). One ignored me. The other told me that they don't do that kind of business.

After a couple of emails, the second one agreed that they do do that kind of business and sent me a huge pack of requirments that I have to fill in. Including testing (for which they bill me if I don't generate enough revenue in three months), a bunch of spreadsheets to fill in, and the deal that ends up with me getting about 30% of the sale price.

Popcap will jump through those hoops. Independent developers mostly won't.

Advantageous to non-nerd vodaphone customers

[owlstead]

So Vodaphone customers can buy apps that have been tested on their device and without paying by credit card (I presume it's harder to steal money from them this way). Of course, if you can't use other app. stores, then this might be a problem. But I wonder if Google would allow companies to use the Android name if it cannot connect to their marketplace.

If anyone has more info on whether it will be the only app. store configured/configurable, please let us know.

Re:Advantageous to non-nerd vodaphone customers

[gbjbaanb]

I suppose it makes sense - there's an 'app store' for android, but what about stores for apps that are built for a particular device, or have capabilities offered by a particular carrier?

In these cases, I think its a good thing to allow multiple app stores for the phones. Android is not like the iPhone in this regard - but then, if you have an iPhone, there's only 1 type of device you have.

Re:FUD

[mlts]

Having multiple stores is what nearly killed Windows Mobile until 6.5. The fact that users had to dig around and search for apps, find a website to download the .cab or .exe file, then install it manually made impulse buying of stuff (a big source of cash) impossible.

The nice thing about one app store is that if one wants an app, they can search for it and find it in one place. This also makes it easier to handle funding and selling of apps.

Having multiple app stores just means it is harder to find what one wants. Is the app on one cellular carrier's store and nowhere else? Is it on the generic Android app store? This also means that an app maker has to deal with multiple stores and their ways of handling purchases and returns.

Not fragmentation

[pavon]

When you say that a software ecosystem is fragmented, it means that applications written for one target device/distro/whatever, won't work on another without changes. The degree of fragmentation is how much effort is required to support each target.

Having separate app stores does not create fragmentation, as any user can still get the applications elsewhere. This is like saying the sky is falling because Walmart and Target both exist and sell different products, rather than there being one official retailer at which all comrades must shop. There is convenience in having everything in one place, but it also has problems with consolidation of power. This can be abused to force people out of the market, as Apple has demonstrated wonderfully. Even if the one true app store has an open and fair policy at first, time changes everything, so the ability to get apps in other manners is essential.

For the convenience of their customers, Google should open the main app store to worldwide ASAP, but it does take time to wade through the legalities of that. Till then, these other repositories can fill the gap, and the fact that they can exist at all is great.

Re:FUD

[ducomputergeek]

Especially when different stores have different pay out rules. If android has umpteen different stores where you have make X in sales before they pay you vs. Apple's model of one place where we at least know the rules....we'll take apple.

But even with our current apps, the download ratio is about 300:1, iphone:android versions. Even blackberry to android is 22:1.

Re:No app store in Europe?

[Tim C]

Thanks for pointing this out - I'm currently in the market for an HTC Desire (though am still tempted by an iPhone), and Vodafone was one of the providers I was looking at. The apparent 500MB/month data limit was already putting me off a bit (compared to T-Mobile's 3GB one), but this probably clinches it for me.

It's not "beginning", it's in full-swing

[InakaBoyJoe]

"Android fragmentation begins"? I don't think so. It's in full-swing.

Seems like every week some marketing dweeb comes up with the brilliant idea to create yet another app store. Motorola and Lenovo have their own, as does China Mobile. That's not even counting the dime-a-dozen independent entries with names like Handango, Cellmania, AndAppStore, MobiHand, GetJar, Nexva, SlideMe, etc. etc.

I am an Android developer, and get an email every week from yet another app store. Each has its own custom requirements and contract overhead, and they expect us to do the work for free for the "privilege" of joining their flock and whatever scheme-of-the-day they are concocting as their business plan.

No thanks. I dump those emails and stick with the Android Market. For all its flaws, developers need to show solidarity and work towards improving it. The alternative is to give away your work and place it in the hands of the likes of wireless carriers, who will continue their land grab game at the expense of the developers, innovators, and consumers.

Re:It's not "beginning", it's in full-swing

[Svenne]

What app developers need to do is just what the parent has done. Just stick with Google's app store, and don't try to peddle their apps on other markets. This way, customers always come to one place, rather than check one store and not others.

No. What Google need to do is to enable that part of the market for the so called European gaps. The first Android mobile phone marketed in Sweden was the HTC Magic, and that was back in February 2009. It's been more than a year and Google still has not made paid apps available on the Market.

Before that happens, I'm all for independent market places filling the need that Google for some reason doesn't.

Maybe this will speed things up. One can at least hope, even if Sweden wasn't on the list of countries supported by Vodafone's store.

all because Google's market is crap

[ConfusedVorlon]

I'm sure the carriers would attempt to muscle in anyway, but there would be less room for them to make this move if Google did a better job with the market.

Here are just a handful of ways the market is crap

1) No way to browse on the web and download to your phone. I can't even post an http link to my app that will work on the desktop and on the device*.
-Apple does it through iTunes
-Palm does it by sending you an sms link to your phone

2) Actually, you can't even browse the appstore on your desktop without going to some third party scraped site. I challenge you to find VLC Remote on the android.com/market

3) Developers have to price apps in the currency they live. Seriously - I live in the UK, so you have to buy my app for £x. It's insane. And particularly after apple have demonstrated a simple tier-based model that is simple for consumers

4) Loads of countries just can't buy stuff. If this is hard for you google - just talk to Mobihand or one of the many mobile app-store companies who have figured out how to take international payments

5) Even if your country does support sales, the international billing means that credit cards keep getting declined (us credit cards don't want to authorise $1 for an international sale via google checkout).

This would be excusable for a few months as the store rolled out.
It is long past a joke now.

*I built a site that at least lets you create an http link for your android app which will work on the device and on the web.
http://and-download.hobbyistsoftware.com/

Re:FUD

[Tapewolf]

Having multiple stores is what nearly killed Windows Mobile until 6.5. The fact that users had to dig around and search for apps, find a website to download the .cab or .exe file, then install it manually made impulse buying of stuff (a big source of cash) impossible.

It also made it a viable platform for internal business applications. As far as I can see, Apple does not provide a mechanism for this, and WM7 taketh it away.

Blame the Gooooog

[anarche]

So I've been trawling the android forum, and apparently the lack of market app in certain countries is due to the carriers removing the market from the firmware. Reflashing the firmware apparently includes the market irrespective of location:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=77c72b9d5214d01b&hl=en.

also worth noting (for those of us with the market) - check out ePetition Open Android, a petition to google to ensure everyone gets the market