Developing apps for mobile devices, troubleshooting for devices you don't own yourself, and ensuring your app continues to work flawlessly on new versions of operating systems are all obligations that fall upon mobile developers. Developing apps and supporting them takes time, and many developers have chosen to charge for their applications as that extra little incentive to keep working away.
Google has been taking some fire over the past few days from Android developers in Europe, who have not received their money for their apps, as BBC News reports. Coders receive 70% of the profit from apps sold on the Play Store (formerly the Android Market), and this money is paid at the end of the first week of the next month. February's earnings should have been paid out on March 7th... but were not.
Six days after the first complaint was made by a developer, a Google spokesperson has said they are actively investigating this. Developers need not worry, for at the moment, no action is needed from the developers. No comment was made on whether the problem was with Google or one of their payment partners, though the problem is widespread. Developers in France, Sweden and Holland have reported receiving their money today, but others have not.
Spanish, Portuguese, German and British developers are still reportedly waiting on their funds to be delivered into their bank account. A user by the name of UKAPPS had the following comment to make about the approach Google has adopted with their developers:
They seem to think no direct contact is a good thing??? Crazy situation but that's how these big corps work and until it hurts their bottom line nothing will change.
Some developers could be waiting on large sums of money. An anonymous developer contacted by the BBC is waiting for several thousand pounds to be delivered to their account, so it is not a minor issue for people who may need this money in their everyday life, even if the app earning their money could have been conceived purely for fun in the past.
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