Can something just keep working?

2024-06-25

No more Google Podcasts

It's no longer possible to use the Android Google Podcasts app. It was sunset, like a few other Google products.

Performing the sunset, Google updated the app to enable the possibility to export the existing subscriptions to Youtube Music or a different app. Export to the Youtube is very convenient, works easy. But listening to podcasts in YT Music is not very convenient. I often listen to the Lex Fridman podcast (with episodes lasting for several hours) while driving my car. Google Podcasts app had a great integration with Android auto. I was plugging my phone, and it automatically resumed the playback of the last episode.

With YT Music, the magic is gone... It loses my progress, I often have to search for the last episode, not being able to resume from the moment where I stopped.

In this case, my consumer opinion is that Google Podcasts app was just perfect as it was. I didn't want any updates for this app, I simply wanted it to continue to work.

But in real life, it does not seem to be possible to have a mobile app distributed via the official store and not being updated.

Speculating on why...

The world changes. I remember the times when publishing to Android Market was simply about uploading the APK, and the app could become available to public almost immediately.

But this approach also had the drawbacks. It backfired in having some negative effect on the whole ecosystem: finding an app that was partially broken or not working was too easy. The regulations also evolve formalizing more and more requirements for the app developers.

Nowadays Google Play policies evolve every year. Every year applications must target the Android OS version. Without complying with the new policies, updating your app is not possible. Non-compliant apps eventually are removed from the store.

This process has some good reasons behind it. But it seems that it's not possible to keep having an app that just works. Having something published in the store means the developer will need to dedicate some time for the support.

Not only mobile apps

My team recently sunset Ubisoft Connect Remote Play feature. Having it available to the public meant continuing investing in it maintenance. Ubisoft Connect ecosystem evolves. Its components have to comply with the requirements of the evolved environment.

Having something that just continues working without changes often does not seem to feasible.

Maybe Windows (with its compatibility modes) is the best examples of maintaining a huge number of apps that just keep working. But this approach has its own implications...