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Buyers of the popular Android version of the FrostWire file sharing app are angry at Google's decision to remove the app from the official Android app store, Android Market, and the developers of the app are in the dark as to why the app was removed at all.
At first, it was thought that the removal may have had something to do with FrostWire's recent troubles with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the agency charged with offering consumer protection. The FTC claimed that FrostWire's default policy of allowing all downloaded files to be publicly shared was a breach of the user's privacy, but FrostWire responded by fixing the issues several months back, and have recently just settled the case with the FTC. The version of FrostWire on Android Market, according to the developers, now complies with the FTC's demands and has done so for month, hence the settlement.
"We fixed the app ages ago, and probably 99.9% of the userbase is actually running 0.6.3, so there shouldn’t be a hint of worry in regards to the FTC Complaints," FrostWire’s Angel Leon told TorrentFreak.
And so from FrostWire's perspective, it is extremely troubling that Google removed their app without as much as a notice, advanced or post-event, and to this day, they still don't know why the app was removed. "It’s just plain wrong that you get suspended without ANY explanation or ANY notice, specially an app for which people have said they bought an Android for, and which has been installed on over 1 million devices during the last 12 months," Leon added.
With the app gone from Android Market, users who paid for the app will no longer be able to obtain updates automatically from the Market app. For now, users can still download the Android version from the official FrostWire website.
Google's lack of transparency has often been the target of critics, not just with Android Market removals, but also with other Google services, such as YouTube, Gmail and search, with users often complaining about how difficult it is to actually get in contact with a real person over at Googleplex.
At first, it was thought that the removal may have had something to do with FrostWire's recent troubles with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the agency charged with offering consumer protection. The FTC claimed that FrostWire's default policy of allowing all downloaded files to be publicly shared was a breach of the user's privacy, but FrostWire responded by fixing the issues several months back, and have recently just settled the case with the FTC. The version of FrostWire on Android Market, according to the developers, now complies with the FTC's demands and has done so for month, hence the settlement.
"We fixed the app ages ago, and probably 99.9% of the userbase is actually running 0.6.3, so there shouldn’t be a hint of worry in regards to the FTC Complaints," FrostWire’s Angel Leon told TorrentFreak.
And so from FrostWire's perspective, it is extremely troubling that Google removed their app without as much as a notice, advanced or post-event, and to this day, they still don't know why the app was removed. "It’s just plain wrong that you get suspended without ANY explanation or ANY notice, specially an app for which people have said they bought an Android for, and which has been installed on over 1 million devices during the last 12 months," Leon added.
With the app gone from Android Market, users who paid for the app will no longer be able to obtain updates automatically from the Market app. For now, users can still download the Android version from the official FrostWire website.
Google's lack of transparency has often been the target of critics, not just with Android Market removals, but also with other Google services, such as YouTube, Gmail and search, with users often complaining about how difficult it is to actually get in contact with a real person over at Googleplex.
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