It’s been six months since the Ausdroid app was released onto the Play Store, and in that time it’s use has steadily grown to a current installed user-base of around 900 users; this is great!
We’ve had feedback from you over the last few months, and while the next version of the app hasn’t been a significant priority against others that we’ve been tackling, one piece of feedback has been fairly steady since the app was released — you’ve told us we should remove the ads.
The Ausdroid team considered this carefully; our advertising revenue is virtually all we get, and the ability to monetise our content via our app was (initially) considered a key feature. However, unlike AdSense for web platforms, ad revenue from mobile apps is virtually non-existent unless your app is stupendously popular. In the case of the Ausdroid app, while it’s popular by our measure — and well rated, too — it’s not a significant generator of ad revenue. Typically, the app has generated no more than $10 per month, and we’d prefer to forego that revenue and deliver a better experience for our users.
To that end, we’ve decided to remove ads from our app, effective immediately. We’ve done this without making changes on the front-end; you won’t need to install an updated version of the app. If you haven’t already, you should notice the ads gone when you next load the app. We’ve done this by disabling the ad-units in AdMob, and in the next version of the app (which should be released in the next month or so) the code for ads will be completely removed, resulting in a slightly smaller app footprint as well.
We’d love to be able to remove ads from Ausdroid’s website as well, but sadly those actually do pay the bills, and if we got rid of those, we’d be unable to survive. Fortunately, the ads on the website are significantly less intrusive than they were on the mobile app, and we do our best to make sure they don’t get in the way.
We’ve also heard your feedback about the Ausdroid Newsletter popup, and that will be reviewed, too.
Last, but not least, we’re gearing up for a busy week here — Google IO 2015 is this week, and our coverage has already begun. Daniel is in San Francisco champing at the bit, and ready to unleash our live coverage starting late Thursday night local time, and into the weekend as the announcements roll in throughout the two day conference.
Stay with us, and we’ll bring you the best coverage we can in the next few days, including a few surprises along the way!
Great job in responding to feedback guys. I had no issue with ads in your app and I love using it by the way but obviously this makes it even better. Well done.
Love to see things like this. Smart decision from the team here
As I suggested back in January when we were discussing donations to get an Ausdroid editor to MWC, you should strongly consider a subscription based option. I reckon you will recoup significantly more than $10 per month through that option.
That new logo is rad!
I too am happy to purchase the app. Have paid up to $5 for rubbish apps so I would be more than happy to contribute to the Ausdroid app which I use daily.
‘Chomping’ at the bit, not ‘champing at the bit, FFS!
Actually, it isn’t: http://grammarist.com/usage/champing-chomping-at-the-bit/
I’ve used your app since day one. I would have been happy to buy it if it was a dollar or so. I use it everyday so it’s good value being free. Making it adfree looks good but I hope you don’t lose out . Keep up the informative work.
Hi Chris All good not to have any ads, however people can’t expect to have all this info and research for free. Your not asking for any money from your followers so they should wake up and smell coffee and expression… no mon no fun..is so true. Unfortunately tree huggers and anti advert people would have us still back in the stone age. I for one support any company that keeps us all informed and up to date with our IT. So for the sake of a little eye pollution or eye candy depending on which end of the looking… Read more »
Happy to donate as well like not having the ads over the content. Would like the ability to swipe to next article instead of having to go back to the menu.
Chris can you add a donate button to the app?Some of us might like to contribute to the development costs of the app. It probably won’t cover it but it might help.
A donate button for folks who want to do one-off payments is always good, but I wonder if it would it be possible to add a regular subscription payment button as well for folks who want to give a regular amount to Ausdroid every month?
Good suggestion Jeni
I second that motion.
good idea, I’ll use it more now.
Good move!