Attn: MobiSystems. -- The present and future of Aquamail

[nica]

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.

[mscheaf]

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.

Nothing but crickets chirping is all I hear. Funny Kostya and Mobisystems are responding to basically any other post not related to the ads. So they are just ignoring all of this on purpose. Doing their best Baghdad Bob impression. I expect that behavior from Mobisystems because that are, have always been, and always will be complete scumbags, but I guess Kostya also had to become a scumbag wheh he sold out to them. Sad

[StR]

I also think that personal insults are highly inappropriate.
(Don't follow the example of some politicians on TV.)

@Paris Geek: I don't have much problems with the path of monetization via ads in general (as long as it is implemented well, i.e. unobtrusively), if there is an alternative option of a paid version with complete privacy (which is not the case of, say, Gmail).
It is the questionable business practice (i.e. how that was introduced), yielding the broken trust of the users,  that is the biggest concern to me.

[mscheaf]

I understand that you disagree with new AquaMail ad policy (I also do), but this doesn't give you the right to use ugly words regarding Kostya.

Sure it does. And I stand by every word. And you have the right to respond and they have the right to ban me.

[nica]

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.

[Lee79]

I have since moved back to MailDroid at this point, they also have ads but not close to as obtrusive as what was done here (they also have made some nice updates).

[wizzy]

Using the pro version so I don't care about the ads in basic.
But the company policy and attitude of the developer seems to be very frightened. This is not trustworthy in the long term.
They would have better introduced a cheap recurring fee for the pro version.
By this the development would have been secured.

For the free users they would have introduced ads but only slightly. And not put the code in the pro version. No-Go.

Now they used time implementing this ad stuff, but they lack support of other important features.

[jmccabe]

FWIW - I doubt if they spent a lot of time implementing the ads; we're talking about Mobisystems here - they're pretty much renowned worldwide for being able to load apps up with ads in no time at all!

[ByeByeAquaMail]

Replying to this so it will bump back up to the top. It's been almost a month with NO response from anyone at MobiSystems or Kostya. That's terrible customer service, which tells me a lot from both. Pathetic. They had some great ambassadors on here that were extremely helpful in the forums. And they left also. I guess the money they are getting from ads and mining data are worth more to them then their customers.

It was a great email program while it lasted, now to find something else. As bad as it is I'll probably just go back to Gmail temporarily until I figure out what to use. I have zero interest in having anything from either of them on my phone.

(Yes, I paid for the Pro version but I don't like the way they do business)

Blah.

[Zevel]

In what version/build were the intrusive ads introduced?
I'm pretty sure they were not present in version 1.10 from the Google Store.
Are they present in the 1.11 dev versions?

[madra]

I agree with much of what's been said here. I've already posted on the 'MobiSystems announcement' thread about it. So I'll just copy/paste that same response here [a bit like MobiSystems do when addressing criticism on Google Play ;-) ]

-------------

...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.

[Justin]

Meanwhile Adguard is blocking something of AquaMail (tracking or ads... I don't know)

An be aware that I'm writing about the PRO Version of AquaMail...

[Zevel]

Which adguard?
The one that I see on the store says: "Adguard Content Blocker is an app that will block all ads only in Yandex Browser and Samsung Internet browser without requiring you to root your device. Adguard Content Blocker doesn't block ads in any other apps."

[Justin]

This one:
https://adguard.com/en/adguard-android/overview.html

Real adblocker and tracking blocker you will never find in Play Store.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Oh my this is a heated discussion, with people throwing around words like "scumbag" even (not that I really mind, free speech and all).

I've stayed out of this discussion because I really don't have much to say, but will now try to share a few thoughts.

1 - Yes there are ads in the free version now (duh!). Yes this is a business decision (duh!).

Spelling out the already obvious...

2 - "Wow, wonderful, this app finally has ads, I'm so happy to see that!" - said no one ever (about any app)

This is really the heart of the issue and there just isn't a way to reconcile that view vs.

vs. "I want an app with the features I need and new features added, bugs fixed, design refreshed, support questions answered, quickly - and free and with no ads".

( and yes, some companies have been able to give away free email apps for a long time, while _maybe_ providing all of the above... Google with Gmail... sort of..., MS with Outlook, Blue Mail / Type Mail... ever wonder how they cover their costs? Congrats to them all )

3 - Re: "sneaky", "all of a sudden", "no warning", etc.

Whenever there is a change there is always a "before" and an "after" - a "but it was" becomes "and now is".

Always. Whenever there is a change (good or bad, an Android app update or someone breaking an arm or winning a lottery).

Time gets divided. I just don't know how to do anything about that.

About "advance notice" -

first, we don't collect or keep the email addresses of our users (if we did, wouldn't *that* be reason to worry? and rightly so?)

second, even if we did, I'm sure many would be unhappy about "receiving spam" (even if for "good" reasons)

third, the design and layout of ads may seem "excessive" and "annoying" to some users, sure nothing wrong with having that opinion... but there are also those who actually don't mind (given that they are "oh no, ads!" to being with, what I wrote above about "said no-one ever").

--

Sincerely, Kostya the Scumbag