How Google Pushed One of My Favorite Apps to Leave the Play Store

Android's app ecosystem lags behind iOS in paid, premium offerings. The recent disappearance of iA Writer from the Google Play Store sheds light on why. Google's policies, and the inherent challenges of Android's fragmented nature, play a significant role.

My Love Affair with iA Writer (and its Demise)

iA Writer, a distraction-free writing app, initially launched on Apple devices before expanding to other platforms, including Android. However, its Android journey ended abruptly.

I sought an Android writing app that balanced the lightweight feel of a simple text editor with the functionality of a full-fledged word processor. iA Writer, with its clean interface and essential features like word count and export options, was perfect—until its file saving limitations (reliance on an internal database rather than direct folder access) prompted me to switch to Obsidian.

This isn't a eulogy for my lost love; our relationship ended some time ago. Instead, it's a lament for other Android users who'll miss out on this excellent writing tool.

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The iA Writer Exodus

iA Writer vanished from the Play Store for new users in September 2024. Existing users retain access, but without Google Drive integration or future updates. The developer's transparent blog post detailing their struggles with Google provides valuable insight.

The final straw involved Google's ever-shifting requirements for accessing the Google Drive API. The mandatory annual third-party audit proved too costly for the indie developers. However, this was just the culmination of ongoing difficulties.

The developer's blog post highlights a persistent struggle with Android's complexities: bureaucratic hurdles, inconsistent device performance, app store optimization challenges, and rampant piracy. While Google bears some responsibility, Android's inherent structure contributes significantly to these issues.

Android's Fragmentation: A Double-Edged Sword

Android's open-source nature allows for customization, resulting in numerous Android versions and device variations. While this offers flexibility (I wouldn't trade Samsung's One UI for a Pixel experience), it creates a massive development challenge. Supporting this diverse hardware landscape requires developers to test on countless devices, a far greater undertaking than supporting Apple's unified ecosystem.

Related: Samsung's One UI 7 Has Changed How I Feel About Default Android Launchers

My foldable Galaxy Z Fold 6, while fantastic, exemplifies this challenge: developers must accommodate the unique aspect ratios of both its cover and internal screens.

The open nature of Android, while a strength, also contributes to piracy, easily facilitated by tools like ADB.

Related: ADB Makes Me Feel Like an Android Hacker, But It's Super Useful

The situation doesn't have to be this way. Windows, despite its diverse hardware landscape, presents fewer development hurdles for iA Writer. A future where Android is equally attractive to paid app developers remains uncertain, and Google's role in achieving this is questionable.

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