They’ve started inserting a subtle ad as the first result instead of the actual app you’re searching for.

This has to have been a change over the last month or two I feel like?

I’m having to reprogram myself to view the first result as irrelevant. Really makes me want to increase the F-Droid alternatives that I use.

  • BradleyUffner@lemmy.worldEnglish
    441·
    1 year ago

    Play Store search is horrible. You can literally search for the exact name of the app you want and NOT have it anywhere in the results.

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      105·
      1 year ago

      Not quite. If your currently connected devices are not (supposedly) compatible because then it will not show up even if it is still on the store.
      Google doesnt even tell you that way and you might assume it’s not there.

      I tried it multiple times and had no issues installing the apk from apkmirror and using the app.

      • BradleyUffner@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        1 year ago

        No, it did really happen. Usually with apps that didn’t have very high installation counts. I have first hand experience with it as the author and publisher of an app. People could literally search for the exact name of my app and get all kinds of other results, but not my app. I’d have to send them a direct link to the listing.

      • DrFuggles@feddit.deEnglish
        5·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, I’ve been geofenced from certain apps for forever for some reason. Google knows I’m German, Google knows I’m in Germany and yet I can’t download the official German gov Covid tracking app because “it isn’t available in your region”. So I’ve gotten quite familiar with the aurora store instead 🤷‍♂️

          • DrFuggles@feddit.deEnglish
            2·
            1 year ago

            I wish, then I’d have at least some explanation. Although it’d be kinda weird still seeing as how I have a German IP address