I’m using /e/ for ~6 months (I mean, I really turned away from Google to /e/ : I have not Google-Android smartphone anymore, and, little by little, I leave Gmail to use /e/ mail) and for now, I’m glad of this choice
But I am also a (modest) Android developer : I developed 4 applications which are available on Google Play, and on /e/ Apps. All of these applications have Google in-app purchase to allow users to support the development and get some bonus. Of course, these in-app purchases does not work on /e/.
The question I ask myself is : is there a plan (even a long term plan) from /e/ team to provide some in-app purchase solution for developers ? Or will each dev must implement its own payment non-Google solution (Paypal, usage of bank api…) ?
I think “how developers can earn money ?” is an important question in order to encouraged them to provide /e/ apps
(To clarify, I’m a computer engineer but I don’t work in Android app. The apps I created has been created on my free time, for my pleasure. So I’m sorry if this question seems naive Perhaps I don’t know all the existing solutions for in-app purchase… but some research on the internet didn’t allow me to find a simple Google payment alternative )
I think this is a very important aspect of using apps outside of the Google sphere as I firmly believe that users who download and use an app regularly should contribute something to the time and effort that the developer put into the making of it. Google’s policy is obviously to encourage developers to put a free version (usually with limited functionality) in their Play Store which will enable Google to make money from the ads the developer has to build into it to at least get some money while Google gets most of it. By adding extra functions into a paid version he gets a bigger part of the payment, but it’s still Google who gets a share.
Developers who leave their work as open-source have to rely on the kindly disposition of users who if they get their apps from F-Droid are willing to contribute something through another payment medium. If this service was offered by /e/ then it would make life simpler for developers like @Julien_Ollivier
Definitely it is a good idea. We do have to plan it properly though as to how it balances with the idea of a purely open source OS and having applications or services which will be charged or available with the payment of a fee. We have a large number of apps which just do not work with MicroG or without Google’s play store infrastructure. An alternate for such app users and application developer is definitely an interesting option to check out.
@archie
Although not related to the thread directly
I was wondering whether you purchaed and downloaded Threema from the Threema store. If you did, does the app by any coincidence work? As the only thing i receive is an error message upon installation.
You’re right. Your question has nothing to do with the marketing of apps. My reference to the Threema.shop does this already.
Threema offers its app on different channels. And the particularly praiseworthy thing about it is that the license acquisition also works without using G°° Play. It doesn’t belong to you to have the right philosophy, but to have the courage to take such a path in order to avoid the big players.
One or more(!) license keys are sent to the buyer’s e-mail address. Payment can also be made by bank transfer (prepayment). Credit cards, PayPal or Bitcoin are not a must.
By the way: If the app only works “by any coincidence work”, you should clarify with the Threema.support.
There are a lot of app developers which will send you a licence file after purchase direct. Best contacting the developer of the app and ask for licence.
Hi @archie. Maybe I wasn’t clear. I purchased Threema from their website (directly without going rhrough play store). They provided me with a downloadable apk but installation does not work (i get an error message). The developpers do not help as Lineage/e is officially not supported. Just wanted to know if you use threema, if it works and you purchased it directly from their website…
Petanque: Score Marker. A little app to note score during petanque games, with statistics functionalities. This is my most downloaded app (~40000 downloads on Google Play). This one is completely privacy-friendly, its privacy score on /e/ Apps is 9/10. On GPS, the app is free (and ads-free) and users can purchase an item to become “premium members”: by doing this, they can access to advanced functionalities (principally advanced statistics). On /e/, the app crashes if users try to buy the in-app purchase. I must correct this bug, and I was wondering how can I offer to /e/ user the possibility to support the app. This is the origin of this thread
France Explorateurs. This app is a (serious) game which allow users to discover the most beautiful touristic places in France. It is a geo-located game, as the users must collect virtual “badges”: each touristic place has an associated badge to collect. This app is not privacy-friendly as its score is an horrible 0/10 on /e/ Apps I think there are several reasons to this :
** I use Google API like Google AdMob, Google Firebase for crash reporting, Google payment…
** I use Facebook API to allow user to share their badges collection to theirs friends
** The app uses high-accuracy location, because the user must be at 50 meters or less from a badge to unlock it.
I developed this app 4 or 5 years ago, and I was clearly less informed and involved in development of user privacy-friendly apps.
The two others app are not yet available in /e/… I though I asked for their integration, but it seems I did not. I will do this later.
@ralxx, my native language is German. My English is … so lala. It always happens to me that I misunderstand. On the other hand I didn’t expect such a question from a /e/ supporter.
Before we talk any further, it is important for me to know which version of Threema and which /e/ OS build they are using. microG should always deliver the same results, but in my experience they can be different.
Seriously secure messaging is never free. But for a limited time, the Threema app is available at half price . This sale lasts until the end of the year [2019].
Perhaps I don’t know all the existing solutions for in-app purchase… but some research on the internet didn’t allow me to find a simple Google payment alternative 
)
I think there are several reasons to this :
