PlayStore Bashing: Learn from the big fails

Slides with speaker notes can be found here: http://bit.ly/andbigfails

Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, ... They are huge firms that are also big Android editors. During this presentation we will discover together the stories of big editors that published apps on the PlayStore (or not) that failed to satisfiy the users or the Android guidelines. To learn from their mistakes.

Transcript

1. PLAY STORE BASHING LEARN FROM THE BIGGEST FAILS
2. Eyal LEZMY http://eyal.fr SLIDES http://bit.ly/andbigfails
3. IT ALL STARTS ON THE PLAY STORE 01
6. Request only what your app requires 1/3 of apps request more permissions than they need MINIMISE PERMISSIONS Users should prefer apps requesting the least permissions
7. You don’t need permission Use ContentProviders MINIMISE PERMISSIONS Users should prefer apps requesting the least permissions
8. Permission are not required to launch another activity that has the permission MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
9. Need a contact? MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
10. Use the force, Luke MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
11. MINIMISE PERMISSIONS Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT); intent.setType(Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE); startActivityForResult(intent, MY_REQUEST_CODE); Start the contact app void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) { if (data != null) { Uri uri = data.getData(); if (uri != null) { Cursor c = getContentResolver().query(uri, new String[] {Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME, Phone.NUMBER}, null, null, null);} } } }
12. MINIMISE PERMISSIONS Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT); intent.setType(Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE); startActivityForResult(intent, MY_REQUEST_CODE); Start the contact app Handle the result void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) { if (data != null) { Uri uri = data.getData(); if (uri != null) { Cursor c = getContentResolver().query(uri, new String[] {Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME, Phone.NUMBER}, null, null, null);} } } }
13. Need an UUID? MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
14. Need an UUID? TelephonyManager.getDeviceId() Requires READ_PHONE_STATE permission MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
15. Need an UUID? TelephonyManager.getDeviceId() Requires READ_PHONE_STATE permission MINIMISE PERMISSIONS Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID Reset at every wipe Not applicable on multi user environment
16. Need an UUID? TelephonyManager.getDeviceId() Requires READ_PHONE_STATE permission MINIMISE PERMISSIONS NO! Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID Reset at every wipe Not applicable on multi user environment
17. Need an UUID? Generate your own UUID and use Backup API ! MINIMISE PERMISSIONS String id = UUID.randomUUID(). toString();
18. Need an UUID? Generate your own UUID and use Backup API ! MINIMISE PERMISSIONS String id = UUID.randomUUID(). toString(); YES!
19. Android Backup API · API is available on all Android devices. · Manufacturors can implements their own transport and storage for the API · Each device as its own backup data · A new device will take a backup from a device associated with your google account. · IT'S NOT A SYNC API ! MINIMISE PERMISSIONS
20. MICROSOFT STORY EPISODE 1 02
21. ? ? ?
22. LOOK AND FEEL HOTMAIL OUTLOOK.COM
23. LOOK AND FEEL HOTMAIL OUTLOOK.COM SAME!
24. LOOK AND FEEL FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! http://d.android.com/design
25. Redesigned by Taylor Ling LOOK AND FEEL
26. By Microsoft LOOK AND FEEL
27. LOOK AND FEEL
28. LOOK AND FEEL
29. LOOK AND FEEL FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! http://d.android.com/design
30. LOOK AND FEEL FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! http://d.android.com/design PLEASE!
31. MICROSOFT STORY EPISODE 2 03
33. XBOX MUSIC
34. Emulator (last devices configuration) XBOX MUSIC
35. Emulator (last devices configuration) Nexus 7 S4 Nexus 10 Mega XBOX MUSIC
36. Emulator (last devices configuration) Nexus 7 S4 Nexus 10 Mega XCover (Android 2.3) XBOX MUSIC
37. Emulator (last devices configuration) Nexus 7 S4 Nexus 10 Mega XCover (Android 2.3) Tablets XBOX MUSIC
38. Emulator (last devices configuration) Nexus 7 S4 Nexus 10 Note 2 Galaxy Nexus S3 Mega Note 1 XCover (Android 2.3) Tablets XBOX MUSIC
39. Our Nutshell XBOX MUSIC Brand New devices S4, Mega, HTC One, Xperia Z, ... Tablets Nexus 7/10, Tab2, Tab3, Note 10.1, … Old devices XCover Not compatible
40. Our Nutshell XBOX MUSIC Main stream devices S3, Galaxy Nexus, Note2, Note1, ... Compatible
41. The dark side of the force, Luke XBOX MUSIC
42. Let’s look into the Manifest XBOX MUSIC
43. <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=" 14" android:targetSdkVersion=" 14" /> XBOX MUSIC
44. <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=" 14" android:targetSdkVersion=" 14" /> Exclude the old devices XBOX MUSIC
45. <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=" 14" android:targetSdkVersion=" 14" /> Exclude the old devices XBOX MUSIC Not recommended (sept. 2013)
46. <compatible-screens> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> </compatible-screens> XBOX MUSIC
47. Exclude tablets <compatible-screens> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> </compatible-screens> XBOX MUSIC
48. Exclude tablets <compatible-screens> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> </compatible-screens> XBOX MUSIC Exclude brand new devices (XXHDPI screens)
49. Exclude tablets <compatible-screens> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="small" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="ldpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="mdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="hdpi" /> <screen android:screenSize="normal" android:screenDensity="xhdpi" /> </compatible-screens> XBOX MUSIC Exclude brand new devices (XXHDPI screens) Too restrictive!
50. XBOX MUSIC “You should not use this element” It can dramatically reduce the potential user base for your application “Use it only as a last resort” When the application absolutely does not work with specific screen configurations “Instead, follow the guide to Supporting Multiple Screens” compatible-screens < >
51. XBOX MUSIC It does not accept xxhdpi But you can instead specify 480 as the value compatible-screens < >
52. XBOX MUSIC Nothing seems tricky...
53. XBOX MUSIC XXHDPI XXHDPI 7.7% of Android devices
54. XBOX MUSIC XXHDPI Tablets 11.2% of Android devices
55. XBOX MUSIC XXHDPI Missing targets 18,9% of the market
56. The Mistakes XBOX MUSIC Have they tested on new devices? Ignoring the power users Brand new devices are bought by power users and early adopters Does not support preloading music The app is not prefectly opimized for mobility. Why ignoring nomad devices like tablets?
57. Return of the APK XBOX MUSIC
58. A day after XBOX MUSIC
59. A day after XBOX MUSIC They updated the app
60. <supports-screens android:smallScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:largeScreens="false" android:xlargeScreens="false" /> XBOX MUSIC <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=" 14" android:targetSdkVersion=" 18" />
61. <supports-screens android:smallScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:largeScreens="false" android:xlargeScreens="false" /> XBOX MUSIC <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=" 14" android:targetSdkVersion=" 18" /> HURRAY !!
62. MICROSOFT STORY EPISODE 3 04
64. MICROSOFT OFFICE Follows the guidelines… This time
65. MICROSOFT OFFICE Not that bad But it could be better
66. Fight the confusion MICROSOFT OFFICE Office 365 offer is quite confusing People used to buy Office licenses, not to subscribe to an Office service They try to avoid confusion
67. MICROSOFT OFFICE
68. MICROSOFT OFFICE The title is clear
69. MICROSOFT OFFICE Is it enough explicit?
70. Problem MICROSOFT OFFICE Does not support tablet format A producting app has to be compatible with big screens formats
71. Problem MICROSOFT OFFICE Does not support tablet format A producting app has to be compatible with big screens formats - The app is optimized for a phone - On tablet, you can use the Office Webapps - We plan to enable editing with Webapps Microsoft’s answer on PlayStore
72. Other problems MICROSOFT OFFICE Less features than the competitors Does not support local files Does not support edition The backend seems not very ready I have been stuck during 24 hours at the mobile activation, and I’m not alone
73. Conclusion MICROSOFT OFFICE Adapt your UI to screen sizes depending on your features Differenciate your service from competitors Especially when you are new on the market Your backend have to support your mobile distribution