Request to create a 2nd paid only version of the app (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by dialecticcake@lemmy.world to c/syncforlemmy@lemmy.world

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I don't like the lack of transparency with how the Google Play Store doesn't list the permissions if one pays for the app and instead only shows the permissions if one doesn't pay.

I generally prefer it when devs release two apps -- a free version and a paid version. This way it's very clear on the Google Play Store what is being tracked in the paid app.

This won't affect me personally, but I am curious if others would be more likely to use and pay for Sync if the permissions were more clear for the paid usage case.

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[-] MothBookkeeper@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

I'd settle for more transparency from the dev about what happens with your data when you pay. Is it still collected?

[-] SmoothIsFast@citizensgaming.com 28 points 1 year ago

LJ has stated nothing is collected once you pay as the ad library is no longer initialized. Other users were able to confirm that no more tracking requests were made after ad free/ultra were purchased.

[-] charles@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

My question at this point is more what happens when the Google services have issues like it would with Sync for Reddit. When that used to happen, IAP pro users lost their benefits until it was rectified whereas Sync Pro would keep working perfectly.

I'd pay for Ultra monthly regardless since I use the app daily and I'm more than happy to give ~3/mo for continuous development but I don't like that I have no way of preventing data collection/tracking when IAP have issues.

[-] Stovetop@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

From what I gathered based on conversations in the discord, the developer fixed the issue that was causing that behavior. It hadn't been an issue for a while by the time Reddit killed it.

[-] charles@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

That's good to know, I never kept up with the issue since I wasn't impacted when it would occur. I just remember seeing it come up every now and then.

Appreciate the update! I don't really use discord these days so it's easy for me to miss that kind of stuff.

[-] dialecticcake@lemmy.world -3 points 1 year ago

Sure and if the dev goes back on that we have no recourse to get a refund from Google or for Google to take any action towards the dev since the dev can just show we agreed to our data being collected/used regardless of whether we paid or not.

[-] bluejay@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 1 year ago

I tested this yesterday. There were zero hits in TrackerControl with ads removed.

[-] dialecticcake@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Cool. It's great that you did this.

However, my concern is there are no guarantees it wouldn't change and there would be no recourse for Google to give us a refund since from Google's standpoint we gave permission for the app to track our data regardless of whether we paid or not.

[-] bluejay@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 year ago

That's fair. It definitely comes down to your own trust, but for me I've been using Sync for Reddit for roughly a decade and I've never seen anything sketchy from ljdawson.

I also don't rely on just their word, I block this stuff on my own network anyway.

As for a refund, the 1-time payment to remove ads isn't expensive (to me anyway) and depending on how much time you spend on the app it may have already been worth it.

But again it's all your preference anyway. Nothing wrong with using a different app.

[-] dialecticcake@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I appreciate your response and I agree. And likewise nothing wrong with the dev making money and fans supporting that too. (I've seen complaints of some people who think all Lemmy apps should be free...and I feel that's very entitled demanding someone else's time and effort for free, but they too can just use free apps.)

[-] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 year ago

I saw a post somewhere saying he personally doesnt track anything. Im guessing all the tracking is likely being done by whomever his ad provider is.

[-] sabreW4K3@lemmy.tf 16 points 1 year ago

Google. It's the same privacy policy that was in Sync for Reddit and is in the Play Store

[-] dialecticcake@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago

Just because it was done like this before does not mean it's a good or transparent practice. I can appreciate though that those who used and loved Sync for Reddit may not care.

I have not used Sync for Reddit however but upon hearing about how much people love it, I wanted to give this app a try. My main point is it's not transparent unless their is a separate app for the paid version that lays out the permissions.

[-] sabreW4K3@lemmy.tf 6 points 1 year ago

Yeah, but Google banned Laurence for that. So maybe you need to start a case in a court of law against Google for abusing their monopoly.

[-] dialecticcake@lemmy.world -4 points 1 year ago

Can you or Laurence link me to the policy saying one can't have both a paid and unpaid app? Or are you asserting Google didn't follow their own policy in this regard?

[-] sabreW4K3@lemmy.tf 3 points 1 year ago

He got banned for it last year.

[-] eco@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

I don't have a link to the policy but here is LJ saying that's what happened. https://lemmy.world/comment/2009322

[-] Stovetop@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Google definitely does not follow their own policy. It is widely known that they are incredibly inconsistent when it comes to enforcing rules and policies for apps on the Play store, delisting apps for a variety of arbitrary and often incorrect reasons.