Why my apps will soon be gone from the Google Play Store
Google Play’s new identity and compliance requirements—including DUNS numbers, verifiable company documents, and publicly listed contact details—are pushing some indie and hobby developers to remove their apps rather than expose personal data or maintain old projects. Commenters debate whether these moves meaningfully improve security and user protection versus primarily serving Google’s risk management and business interests, while raising broader concerns about app-store lock‑in, weakening long‑tail diversity, and the growing appeal of alternatives like F-Droid, web apps, and direct APK distribution.
Scope of the Complaint
- New Google Play requirements (D-U-N-S number for organizations, verified legal identity, public phone/email, and sometimes physical address) are seen as disproportionate for hobby and solo developers.
- Some argue “doing business has costs” and these are standard KYC/AML measures similar to Apple and payment processors.
- Others emphasize that for old, low-traffic, or non-monetized apps, the admin and privacy burden is not worth it, so they’ll let apps die or move them elsewhere.
Privacy, Safety, and Contact Requirements
- Many object strongly to having a phone number and home address publicly exposed, citing spam, scams, and even safety concerns.
- Counterpoint: you can use alternate numbers, virtual offices, or different SIMs; phone ≠ personal phone.
- Some distrust giving Google passport/ID scans; others say Google is among the more secure stewards of such data.
Backward Compatibility and API Churn
- Frequent minimum-API bumps and app-hiding/removal are criticized as destroying otherwise-working apps, especially simple games/tools.
- Multiple comparisons to Windows’ long-lived compatibility; some claim Android/iOS trade usefulness for sandboxing and security.
- Others defend deprecations as necessary to improve permissions and security, arguing old, over-broad APIs can’t always be safely emulated.
Open vs Closed Ecosystems, Sideloading, and Alternatives
- Several praise Android’s APK sideloading and F-Droid as escape hatches; others describe sideloaded apps as privacy-invasive and unreliable.
- Concerns that regulatory pushes for sideloading on iOS will incentivize more “abusive” behavior and erode the “protective garden.”
- Suggestions: move to F-Droid, personal APK hosting, or web apps/PWAs. Pushback notes browser fragmentation, limited Web APIs (e.g., BLE), and monetization headaches.
Indie Developer Future and “Long Tail”
- Many see platforms increasingly optimized for large companies and a handful of mega-apps, not small indie titles.
- Some predict a shift away from native apps toward web apps, or simply fewer hobby projects on major app stores.
- A few plan to open source their delisted apps or keep them alive outside official stores.