A moderated Google App Market : ye or ney?

[IndivisibleP]

What do you guys think about Google officially making an alternate/auxiliary app market that would be available along side the present official market, but which would only host inspected or "approved" apps that were proven to be useful innovative and well written?

It could be called something like "Android Top Picks" (not very catchy, I know..) or "Android Feature Market", "Android Market Pro", etc


I personally think this is a great idea. It wouldnt violate the principles of open source and at the same time it would raise the bar for developers to aspire to as it would create a prestigious reputation for their apps and certainly increase their sales. Along with this it would create a thinned down selection of quality apps that users could focus on for superior performance.

Things that could be indirectly implemented through this medium are inspection to see that apps dont inefficiently use battery life and also that they are made with the idea of being compatible across various platforms and devices in mind.

I think this would encourage the development of quality competitive apps which in the end would only benefit users, developers, and Android OSs end-user marketing compatibility on all sides.

Please vote and let people know what you think about this idea.

 

[DenverRalphy]

Personally I think it would just be much more simple for Google to offer an "Inspected By Google" stamp and give the current market the option to filter by that category.

 

[Beatlesfan]

Personally I think it would just be much more simple for Google to offer an "Inspected By Google" stamp and give the current market the option to filter by that category.

I agree. This would be a great option.

 

[tp_technologies]

then why would anyone browse the open market? if you want good apps just sort by top rated, its that simple. if the developer wants to make money they will make the app good to start with they shouldnt need to be motivated to make a decent app

 

[IndivisibleP]

Hmm, I didn't think of that. Its much easier. Works for me

 

[IndivisibleP]

then why would anyone browse the open market? if you want good apps just sort by top rated, its that simple. if the developer wants to make money they will make the app good to start with they shouldnt need to be motivated to make a decent app

You would think, but yet there are so many poorly written apps, some of which may easily become popular. Also users votes may not reflect the actual quality of an app the way an inspection overseen by some of Google's own android developers would.

I saw a video from Google I/O where they explained how new devs could optimize their apps. It got me to thinking that there is so much more the system has to offer and many devs may not know to take advantage of or may not have the incentive to go the extra distance.

If there was some way to get official recognition from Google was implemented I bet you would see an improvement in the quality of apps.

Also devs get money from advertisers so there are some who just write junk apps which 1000s may already do, make it free and just bank on the ads. All these marketing apps could ignored and in effect discouraged. Let devs be challenged and really try to make a contribution. I mean its not necessarily bad that devs can do this, some segregation between these and real innovative fruits of labor, will push everything forward. Imho

 

[MJM128]

I'm completely against this. Waste of resources for google. Google just needs to implement good features to allow us to review and sort apps better. I don't need google to tell me an app is good, i'll do it myself and see if I like it or read a review from someone else if I really need to. Who's to say an app is useful, well written, innovative? I'd rather let the mass review it and a single entity (google).

 

[IndivisibleP]

I'm completely against this. Waste of resources for google. Google just needs to implement good features to allow us to review and sort apps better. I don't need google to tell me an app is good, i'll do it myself and see if I like it or read a review from someone else if I really need to. Who's to say an app is useful, well written, innovative? I'd rather let the mass review it and a single entity (google).

You do understand that this wouldn't be reducing the availability of any other apps right? Nor even nrcessarily making a statement as to value. But to think that all apps or written equally is simply foolish. Apps can definitely misuse resources if they written bad. This isn't a matter of opinion or a "who's to say matter". I am not against the openedd and freedom of the present market and i dont suggest its replacement at all. But orginazation and "rewarded" recognition for a certain level production will only encourage quality and performance. How can that be bad?

Standards that arbitrarily restrict and exclude are bad, but that doesn't mean that standards themself are bad on principle.

 

[reinbeau]

Personally I think it would just be much more simple for Google to offer an "Inspected By Google" stamp and give the current market the option to filter by that category.

+1. We don't need another market, we need a good rating system - which we sort of have if you filter by highest ratings. Still, the 'seal of approval' rating should be at the top.

 

[RichSz]

I like the "Inspected by Google" idea but won't vote in the poll because it's too black and white. This is not a binary issue.

I'd like to see Google ensure some basic quality levels and an "assurance" that we're not downloading a virus or an app that uploads our contact list to the depths of Mongolia. I don't want Google filtering on content, though. I like the idea that any app is fair game. Coming from Apple, their app store started to feel very censored and I didn't like that.

The next problem which will bite Google square in the ass is the copyright infringement we see in so many apps. Personally, I don't give a damn but when Google gets their pants sued off because of all the "soundboards" and blatant rip-offs, we will see sweeping changes and not for our benefit. I predict it happens in 2011. I realize I'm almost suggesting they censor based on content which I mentioned not liking in the previous paragraph. It's not black and white and I don't know the right solution.

 

[Loch]

How about just the ability to filter?

Leave out anything with the word Sexy Girls, Decal, Tips or Pandahome Theme and it would make my market experience alot more efficient.

 

[rkkeller]

How about a way to report spam comments and abuse? I get tired of seeing the same spam all over in the reviews.

 

[RichSz]

How about a way to report spam comments and abuse? I get tired of seeing the same spam all over in the reviews.

Agreed. You'd think they could just not allow URLs in comments. There is never a reason to have them.

 

[Loch]

How about a way to report spam comments and abuse? I get tired of seeing the same spam all over in the reviews.

You can report it, and when you do the comment is removed from the market (at least until it is verified).

touch the [x] on the comment and mark as spam.

 

[IndivisibleP]

I was thinking, a third party app/market can aslo be made for this ( I know thrid party markets already exist but none that I have seen are really trying to accomplish this).

I mean no ones stamp of approval will hold as much weight as Googles would but as long as they arent doing it, someone with some healthy tech background could make their own "reviewed" app market that would hopefully snowball and become very popular and prestigious.

I mean there is no way that half assedly written buggy redundant apps for which there is no real need (due to them not innovating or offering a more efficient or stable way to do something 1000 other apps already do) are on the same level as really great and unique apps like LauncherPro, Layar, AndroidMate, QuickDesk, etc.

If someone combed through and reviewed/collected apps that were real finds and the best of their class, and if these selections became universally popular and naturally increased the sales of those apps, it would really have a good effect on the market as a whole. Improvement would be necessary and devs would be encouraged by the fact that if they can be innovative and efficient they will have a clean channel for getting recognized and making money.