Author Topic: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family  (Read 91487 times)

StR

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #120 on: September 20, 2017, 10:16:16 pm »
I'm pretty sure that the current destroying development was not the intention at Kostya's decision.

That's what I'd like to believe... (The MobiSystem management outpowered him.) -- I always try to give a benefit of a doubt, as you may have noticed.

Sadly, it is very unlikely it happened without his knowledge. (Or, did it?)
I suspect his agreement clause wouldn't allow him to disclose this, even if he knew and was against it.

If that was the case, I wouldn't want to be in Kostya's shoes.
In any case, before making any judgement on his part, I'd rather wait until Kostya is back and we can hear from him.


StR

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #121 on: September 20, 2017, 10:33:49 pm »
Am I missing something? Google Play is showing the last update as 23 August 2017 which seems to be ok; is there a later one I should avoid allowing Google Play to auto-update? What's the problem?
I am not sure in which free version it was included (and recently activated): I am using a paid version, where it hasn't been activated so far (but obviously present in the app). Given the number of responses, I suspect it was already in that Google Play version, August 23, 2017, but the ads were activated only in the past couple days.
What I know for sure is that prior to that, there was already a mechanism to turn on and off the half-price-sale notifications, probably using a similar if not the same mechanism as that for the ads.


Rather tangential thought: the ability of the app developer to enable and disable some functionality in an Android app (or even the entire app) remotely has always bothered me. But that's the monstrous app platform that Google has created without giving any significant concern about privacy and your personal control over your device. That where you need to make the choice if you trust or do not trust the developer and his/her/their app.

jmccabe

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #122 on: September 20, 2017, 10:39:46 pm »
Am I missing something? Google Play is showing the last update as 23 August 2017 which seems to be ok; is there a later one I should avoid allowing Google Play to auto-update? What's the problem?
I am not sure in which free version it was included (and recently activated): I am using a paid version, where it hasn't been activated so far (but obviously present in the app). Given the number of responses, I suspect it was already in that Google Play version, August 23, 2017, but the ads were activated only in the past couple days.
What I know for sure is that prior to that, there was already a mechanism to turn on and off the half-price-sale notifications, probably using a similar if not the same mechanism as that for the ads.

I see - thank you for that.

mikeone

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #123 on: September 20, 2017, 11:28:57 pm »
I'm pretty sure that the current destroying development was not the intention at Kostya's decision (in Nov. 2016).

Just updating my previous post to clarify which decision (Kostya's) I meant...

nica

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #124 on: September 27, 2017, 10:01:45 am »
No more statements from MobiSystems?

No response by Kostya? (I can not imagine, that ads and feedback are a sudden  surprise?

I would like to see, what we can expect.

I have the impression that users' concerns are not taken seriously by MobiSystems including Kostya:
- No announcement about changing the privacy policy to all users
- Showing ads in an annoying way (I understand the need of monetarization, btw)
- No response to those users who have always been involved in Aquamail and supported other users.

We don't know if things will get any worse in the future.

I personally recommended AquaMail to many others, and I am the one who now receives all complaints.

So I can not recommend AquaMail anymore like before (also in other forums), there are alternatives like MailDroid and K-9, and I will delete my forum account.

Plaese don't delete this post, thanks.

madra

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #125 on: October 13, 2017, 03:30:57 pm »
...Didn't take long for them to completely ruin your app. Good job on selling out at least! Hope the $$$$ was worth ruining your reputation forever...

I bought the paid version within about an hour of trying it out, so the [presumably MobiSystems driven] decision to plaster the free version with adverts doesn't affect me [nor would have had I been using the free version, as I'm rooted and block ads at the hostfile level].

I've got to say though that [following the debates on here and reading the comments  on Google Play--and MobiSystems nauseating copy/paste reply to them all], I'd not even have downloaded the app to try in the first place, if I'd come across it nowadays.

When are developers and site owners going to realise that people who hate adverts are never going to click on them in the first place and the more you force adverts in their faces or [in the case of an increasing number of websites] try and force users to turn off adblockers, the more determined those users become to NEVER click on one of your adverts.  So nobody wins:

The developers don't get increased ad revenue as those users don't click the ads. And the users begin to dislike your app and distrust you and possibly consider moving elsewhere.

No one begrudges developers making a living by monetising their apps --especially an app so good as AquaMail.  But I don't see what's wrong with using the method of adding extra features to the paid version, where people will pay to make something good even better. I think, when I tried the free version, it was limited to one or two email accounts and, after trying it and finding how good it was, I willingly upgraded to the paid version, so I could use it with my half dozen or so accounts.

Plastering your free version in ads and then asking people to pay to remove them is like a restaurant serving up a meal smeared with dogshit and then telling you you can pay a bit extra to have the same thing without the turd on top.

Zevel

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #126 on: October 13, 2017, 10:54:54 pm »
Do the dev builds of 1.11 have the intrusive ads?

phred

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Re: Aqua Mail is now part of the MobiSystems family
« Reply #127 on: October 14, 2017, 12:19:24 am »
Do the dev builds of 1.11 have the intrusive ads?
Is it really necessary to post the same thing three times, in three different threads? Good forum etiquette says no.