How Google's monopoly is destroying new developers?

What happened:

I have created an Android App for one of my use cases, which was a real pain in my work area and it might have helped 1000+ users. This app idea was not new and I worked on it around 3 years back but did not publish it to Google Play Store at that time. Thought of publishing this app in the Play store recently, I spent more than 2 weeks time developing this app.

I published the app in the Play console, Added the Privacy policy, filled Permissions Declaration Form, and all the required information. To my surprise, it was rejected within an hour with the below mail sent to me:

Email from Google on rejection

About the app:

This app forwards SMS to other numbers or Email IDs as configured by the user. The app basically helps the user to automate their phone to forward the SMS automatically to their loved ones, friend, or colleagues. To function the App, It requires reading and sending SMS from the Phone. Technically it required three permissions from the user:

android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS
android.permission.READ_SMS
android.permission.SEND_SMS

I understand the risk for this app, as it may be used to still OTPs or any confidential information. For security reasons, I added some safety features so that user can use it without worrying about safety:

1. This App does not work in the background, If the user kills the app It will stop working hence making it secure for anyone to use as it can not work without user knowledge.
2. This app is not connected to any server and does not collect any user information.
3. Email ID or Contact number (where the SMS is getting forwarded) will be shown on the first page only, hence the user can see it at any time.
4. SMS filter is configurable which gives users to put restrictions on the SMS which will be forwarded.
5. After installing the App, It will show a warning popup to the user with vibration for 2 seconds. If the user agrees then only they can use the app otherwise the app will not work.

Screenshot of the warning message on AutoOTP app

After putting all safety features, still Google went ahead and rejected my app from listing on the Play store. I did some research and went through their guidelines, which clearly says that Application can access these permissions only if it is required for the core functionality of the App (which my app do have and required those access)

Even after following the guideline, The power is in google hand’s to approve it or reject it.

How does it affect small developers?

I went through the Play store and can see that there are 100s of such Apps already present on the Google play store which require those permissions or more than this. A few of them are:

Anydesk: Which can access the screen of the app, microphone, and Storage.

SMS Backup & restore: Which requires access to the SMS to take backup.

Cred asks users to access their Gmail accounts, which means Cred can see all your emails.

And there are at least 10 apps with the same functionality as my app. So if my app was rejected then those also should have been rejected but that is not the case.

Basically, Google does not want new developers to grow and those who have already built their user base can remain on the Google play store.

What’s the big deal for the access to SMS and what Google should have done instead of simply rejecting the app?

What Google says about SMS:

SMS and Call Log Permissions are regarded as personal and sensitive user data subject to the Personal and Sensitive Information policy.

Is it really Call Log and SMS only sensitive user data. What about the camera, Screen recording, or access to Email. If privacy or security is so much concern then why Google is not removing these apps.

What Google should have done instead of rejecting the app:

1. Ask developers to show a notification to the user whenever the app is trying to access the SMS.
2. Show a warning to the user before using the app — Which I have implemented already.
3. Ask users to allow the permission after some time or remind users that this app has access to the SMS.

These would have given the developers at least some relief to developing the app and users would have more options in terms of app availability.

There are alternatives to uploading such apps to third-party app Store but more problem comes when Google does not recognize these app stores and it warns the user about installing the app, which make the user uncomfortable installing these apps and indirectly hurts growth.

We should not forget that Google was trying to impose a 30% commission from the developers on any kind of payment made on Android OS. Concern was raised by so many people like Vijay Sekhar Sharma :

Elon Musk also raised the same concern with the Apple store.

By these incidents, we can understand that we are in a world where two companies will control almost all the Phones and dictate their terms to users and developers. It will be a loss for the user and the developers.

Hope google sees this blog and make some changes to allow my app or provide exception.

Read my other article on Youtube Premium:
https://medium.com/p/104c80ad8181

Download AutoOTP App: http://autootp.in/

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— Santan Barnwal