back to article Google failing to pay Android developers

Some Android developers aren't getting the money they should, with revenue from web-based sales never finding its way into their accounts because of a problem that's lasted months. The issue first surfaced at the end of last year, with a few developers noticing a mismatch between sales and receipts, but only some sales are …

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  1. DavCrav

    Union needed

    "Google and, most dangerous of all, the idea of a Developers' Union is being freely discussed."

    A monopolist to counter the monopsonist? It's been needed by small farmers against supermarkets for years.

    1. Captain Scarlet

      But

      Wouldn;t Google need to recognise it otherwise they will just ignore it

  2. DJV Silver badge
    Pirate

    Developers' Union?

    A developers' union could be a good thing. Well, it is about time Google became accountable to the rest of the world+dog. They do lots of good stuff but seem to think they can live in an ivory tower ignoring those knocking on the door with legitimate issues.

    1. Manu T

      RE: Yeah so...

      This is all our own fault.

      First raving on about Android and Google. You see what happens when you put your eggs in the wrong basket.

      Should have stayed with Symbian. Especially since QT is also an easy platform to develop for. And that's what all these fart-developpers really care. Easy development, easy money.

      The thing is that Android is becoming worse every time there's a new version. Not technically but programming-wise. First M$ demanding 5 bucks on every Android device (there goes the free market), then Oracle making trouble over the Dalvik-engine and now this.

      What's next? Some fucking retard sueing Google because their devices have a power-button?

      Time to leave folks.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        FAIL

        Easy development, easy money?

        Nope. Easy money is when you release products for a platform that has a lot of customers who are buying a lot of apps. From all accounts, that means iPhone, with Android in a distant second place, and Symbian and the rest not figuring in at all. Show me newspaper articles about Symbian app developers making millions because I haven't seen any.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    About as accountable as paypal

    You are more likely to get a response from paypal too, which is too say two chances "no chance" and "f*** all chance"

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Google Checkout

    Google REALLY doesn't like talking to people, do they.

    I keep an eye on a shop that sells through Google Checkout, and some of the time, incoming orders will go through a 'Customer Review' at Google's discretion. While this review usually takes a couple of hours, recently it's started taking a day or more on some orders. Now usually the 2-48 hour delay isn't really a problem, except that Google puts on the customer's receipts "*Shop name* is responsible for charging and shipping your order. Have questions? Contact *shop name*", so when the transaction doesn't go through within 4.3 seconds, the customers come complaining, wanting to know why *we* haven't charged their order yet, and what *we* are going to do about it.

    'Course we can't actually do anything about it, Google doesn't let us override the checks and charge the order, so all we can do is point the customers to the page on our site which was created with the sole purpose of showing them what the status of their orders is and why they shouldn't bother coming to complain to us that they haven't been completed.

    Google simply doesn't want to bother talking to customers.

    1. Ian Michael Gumby
      Holmes

      And this is google's problem?

      Sorry but really, its your choice to use google.

      They really don't care about your business because if you leave there is still another suck ...er.. ready to come around and take your place.

      You have the choice to walk away and use another commerce infrastructure provider, but you don't do that, instead you bitch about it.

      My suggestion is to do both. Bitch and vote with your feet.

      1. Kristian Walsh Silver badge

        Leave, find someone competent.

        I'm with Mr Gumby here. There are many providers of online commerce systems; nearly all have better security, far better customer relations, and faster turnaround.

        Google Checkout is cheap for a reason, but they're still not cheap enough to excused their half-assed product offering. The payment system might be easy to integrate, but that's Google all over: they only ever consider the developers, not the end users, and it's there that it really sucks: near nonexistent support and unpredictable clearing make it a bad choice for most businesses.

        If this is your main business, you should be using proper tools.

      2. Jean-Luc

        re. "And this is google's problem?"

        Well, I don't see why you are criticizing this post. Anonymous raises a good point about dealing with Google Checkout. And I would generalize that, with a company that refuses to get on a phone, certain types of dealings are best avoided.

        Would you rather no one knows there is a problem?

        Personally, it's been years that I've refused to have anything to do with Paypal and I'm not any worse for it. But this decision was based on the complaints of receiving-end folks that have had bad experiences with them.

        p.s. If you read the post, you'll also notice that ano states that he/she is looking after a site on someone else's behalf.

        1. Ian Michael Gumby
          Holmes

          @Jean-Luc

          I'm sorry, but when a vendor screws me, the first thing I do is look for another vendor who can provide the service.

          Being vocal is good, because it alerts others to the same problem and serves as a warning.

          Now are you suggesting that there are no other options to using Google?

          :-)

          Oh and if you're looking after a site for a friend, then you should do the due diligence on their behalf and then make a recommendation to move. If they don't move, then its a good sign to stop 'looking after the site for your friend.'

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Windows

    Developers

    Developers, developers, developers!

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    The Big Question...

    Does the same thing happen to devs who use the Apple App Store?

    We need to how the Chocolate Factory stands up against the 'fruit'.

    could it be that Apple pay their devs properly? Can someone tell us?

    I don't use an iPhone nor Android so I don't have a vested interest one way of the other.

    1. Manu T
      Happy

      RE: The Big Question...

      Yeps, though Apple uses "another trick" to achieve this.

      They suddenly decides that your app isn't good enough for the appstore and simply remove it themselves. They invent some regulations as an excuse and you get screwed.

      Free market, remember >:->

      God, I miss Maemo, Windows Mobile and Symbian/QT.

      Where are the good old days that you search the web for some new wonders of palmtop-programming? The fun was in the search itself, the satisfaction if finding it and installing on your device. Damn, where's that Delorean... I wanna go back!

  7. Andrew Moore

    SQL injection issue???

    "these can be identified by the addition of a semi-colon to the application name"

    Sounds like ole Bobby Tables has been at work again...

  8. TheOtherHobbbes

    Apple pay

    as long as sales cross a certain threshold. Otherwise they hang on to small sums.

    Small sums times millions of developers equals non-trivial money - 'non-trivial' meaning the kind of sums most of us would be impressed by, but Apple considers a rounding error.

    Apple could in theory pay even small sums monthly. It's not like they can't afford the transaction costs.

    But they choose not to.

    Otherwise - unless they take a dislike to your app and hold it in review or bar it from the store - payments seem reliable.

    I don't do Android, so I don't know how frequency and throughput compare.

    1. Robert Synnott

      RE: Apple pay

      Almost all things like this have a payment threshold; Apple's isn't unduly high.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Freudian slip

    "We asked Google for more details, and when the developers might expect their cheques, but as of the time of writing it has declined to respond."

    Google being referred to as 'it' rather than 'they'

    Freudian slip??

  10. Nader
    Thumb Up

    When does the money arrive?

    Very soon! They are writing the search algorithm for it right now.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    New Google Developers Conference - Conference Couch

    Google will supply conference goers with nice soft couches to sit on while they disclose that developers will have to rummage through said couches looking for their payments in the form of lost change.

    jangle

    jangle jangle jangle jangle

  12. TReko

    Non UK and USA

    Google checkout still only supports UK and USA only.

    Android devs can hack payments, but this is a huge problem for anyone working with Google who does not live in US or UK!

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/thumb_down_32.png

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