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But while you can always use the same app, there

March 31, 2018 by Katherine Berry

But while you can always use the same app, there are two major advantages of using Play to manage your personal data: the developers get to keep that data for as long as they want to (and the user doesn't have to be the one to get it) and there's an additional benefit of using Play as a means to make your game more accessible.

"As we've been working to make Android more accessible over time, our focus has shifted from managing and protecting app access to maintaining and improving the core features and experience of the app. And for that, we're making a conscious decision that you won't be able to access that data if you're not a developer," explained Sweeney. "As you know, we've been making our apps accessible to a large number of users around the world who are already on mobile devices. So we're not going to be able to just get access to that data."

That's true of the Android app store, but it's also true of most other platformers and mobile apps: Google's Play Store is only part of the game, and the company doesn't have a monopoly on what the player can use to play games. You can buy a smartphone for $50 off a single game you own, but you can purchase Play for even more.

That's why the developers were so excited by what Google did when they first announced Play back in January. In their FAQ, they explain:

We understand that for many people, the Android platform is a very high cost for games. For this reason, we wanted to make our app accessible to a large number of users around the world. This is exactly what we've done. The way we are presenting our app is by taking advantage of your existing and existing apps in the Android app store. So for example, you're not allowed to own your favorite game on your Android phone because of the $50 purchase price, but you can get the app as a free download on your Play Store app. And on top of that, you can also buy the AppStore app for $5, which is a better way to get apps for Android phones and tablets without having to purchase an app.

In other words, if you're already the one to buy your favorite game on your Android Phone, you're probably not going to be charged a $5 upgrade to your Android phone. But if you're more of a player or fan of your favorite game, you could be on the receiving end of that $5 upgrade.