Anyone using Startapp?

Has anyone here implemented Startapp in their apps after the policy change?

I was using it before but now am a bit sceptical cos it creates a search icon on the home screen and some browser bookmarks. Since there is still some ambiguity regarding removal procedure of “changes outside the app”, I felt it was safe to remove it from the apps for the time being.

Any thoughts?

From a user’s point of view - I downloaded an app that uses it and was very annoyed. The app changed my browser homepage. The change wasn’t even that obvious because the new homepage had a minimalist design; just a search bar reminiscent of Google’s. If a PC software had done that, it would be adware/malware. And it’s one thing to trust Google with my search results, but I’m leery of trusting an unknown ad company with that kind of info.

From a developer’s point of view: With regards to Google policy, it’s not really obvious which app made the browser changes. So it seems risky; maybe a EULA or toast would suffice, but maybe not…

Been using StartApp for a while now on a bunch of my apps, as well as Airpush and Leadbolt on some.

I really like their payment model, where you get paid per download, and I am seeing great revenue actually (far better than Airpush, which started strong and declined ever since).

Androidman - Did you integrate their latest SDK? They were the first to have a compliant SDK with a EULA screen (leadbolt followed with a suspiciously similar one) which tells the user about the search addition, so i’m thinking this covers it.

Gigabreakfast - that’s a good point, I asked my AM there and he replied that the search page added has the app name in the search page, so the user can know which app made the change, if he missed the EULA for some reason.

Hope that helped.

I am yet to integrate their new SDK. The only reason which is holding me back is this text from the Play Policy

"Ads must not make changes to the functioning of the user’s device outside the ad by doing things such as installing shortcuts, bookmarks or icons or changing default settings without the user’s knowledge and consent. If an ad makes such changes it must be clear to the user which app has made the change and the user must be able to reverse the change easily, by either adjusting the settings on the device, advertising preferences in the app, or uninstalling the app altogether. "

I am not sure if adjusting the settings on the device = user removing the icons manually!!.. cos these icons and bookmarks are definitely not removed by unistalling the app.

StartApp is terrible…they make you include a user opt-in in your app AND a huge disclosure in your app details page, yet they only offer 1 product (Icon Ads). Why would I waste an opt-in on just 1 product, when I can get Icon Ads from several other ad networks which include a range of many other ad formats.

Cannot waste a user opt-in screen on a single ad format !

androidman - I totally get your point, I actually missed this part of the policy. haha. But it does say “or” in there, which makes it much easier to comply to, no? So if the user needs to drag and drop an icon to the trash, I think it’s good.

gordonb - I don’t think they wanted to add the opt-in and make the devs use it, but they have to because of the new policy. Their opt-in screen is actually the nicest looking out of all, in my opinion.

For me, it’s their payment model and the fact that i’m getting paid for each download, not relevant to any campaigns or nothing running on the other end, so there’s no one week with good eCPM and another with horrible eCPM… It’s fixed and really good. Again, this is my personal opinion.

And last thing, they allow to incorporate their opt-in with other ad networks, so you can have only one…

IMHO the policy gives us only 3 options “by either adjusting the settings on the device, advertising preferences in the app, or uninstalling the app altogether”

Drag and drop of icon to trash isn’t one of the methods mentioned in the poilcy text :slight_smile: … Also what abt the browser bookmarks?