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Comment by dangus | Hacker News Reader

> or we drop support for Android TV before API-30, and all our users on TV API<30 can’t get fixes.

The answer to this one is obvious. Drop support for API <30. The older version of the app will work well enough for those users.

At present nobody is getting updates. Giving updates to everyone >=31 is an improvement to the status quo.

Don’t bother with the Windows Store or Mac App Store. Those users don’t need app stores.

I think it’s not up to the individual developers to make these platforms a good place for their users. The platform owners already control that fate. If your Android TV device becomes a brick with apps that can’t be updated after ~5 years that should teach the customer to find something else next time.

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> At present nobody is getting updates. Giving updates to everyone >=31 is an improvement to the status quo.

Well for who already has the app installed, but if one is on API <30 and wants to install VLC from the Play Store, it can't.

Split the app then. Rename the current one to VLC (Legacy) and publish the new versions in a new app.

> The answer to this one is obvious. Drop support for API <30. The older version of the app will work well enough for those users.

> At present nobody is getting updates. Giving updates to everyone >=31 is an improvement to the status quo.

Would a user who does not already have VLC installed be able to download it in this scenario?

Windows Store is needed for users On Windows 10/11 S mode and Windows on ARM I believe.

So like, 10 people? I don't even know where you buy a computer that comes with S mode, my understanding is that it was massively unpopular, and you can turn off S mode.

Windows on ARM can install software outside of the Windows Store, and VLC offers an EXE binary for it.

That mode can be unlocked via the windows store iirc.

API >=30 is ~60% of Android devices, it's a significant number of users and adds significantly to e-waste

off by a line - 75% according to apilevels.com / statcounter. But true, apilevel pace is relentless

Interesting! Thanks

Android Studio [Iguana | 2023.2.1 Patch 2 | Built April 4 2024] states that for minSDK API 30, an app will run on 59.8% of devices.

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