Not present in Google Playstore anymore ( on some devices... )

[NiTRoeSE]

Hi, some users cant find the Element App in google playstore, instead of this they get only the Element-X app shown. If this users uses a direkt link to elelemt in playstore they get only a "this app is not available" message. Its a bit strange because other users can find the element app.

We tried to find out the reason for that, but the only hint is that all users who cant find the app are on Android 13. All users are germans, maybe its some kind of geoblock, or a bug in playstore ?

I dont know, but i cant belive that Element isnt available anymore.

Hope someone can help to clarify. Thanks in Advanced!

Steps to reproduce

Open google playstore app on a android 13 device wich have not installed the element app and search for element or element messenger.

Outcome

Finding Element app in google playstore with every android device. That Element is removed from playstore after Element-X is out of alpha/beta and new sliding proxy is stable.

Your phone model

Samsung / Oppo / Knox etc

Operating system version

Android 13

Application version and app store

No response

Homeserver

No response

Will you send logs?

No

Are you willing to provide a PR?

No

[bmarty]

User has to be 18+ to see the app in Germany.

[NiTRoeSE]

User has to be 18+ to see the app in Germany.

Thanks for this information! Is this intentional and what is the reason for it ? Is there any chance to remove this in my eyes unnecessary age restriction ? This restriction is not active for Element-X, why then for Element ?

[bmarty]

Element Android gives access to any public rooms where content moderation cannot be guaranteed. When we declared this on the PlayStore console, the app got ranked like this. Note that it depends on your country rules as well.

Element X Android does not have this feature (yet), hence the diff here.

[NiTRoeSE]

Element Android gives access to any public rooms where content moderation cannot be guaranteed. When we declared this on the PlayStore console, the app got ranked like this. Note that it depends on your country rules as well.

Element X Android does not have this feature (yet), hence the diff here.

Thanks for the clarification! :) ( makes sense now) Thats a big problem for us now. Nobody of the admins have ever recognized that the app is 18+ rated, that's our fault. :( Stupidly, we do not now have an app for mobile devices that can be used by students under 18.

[FetchFast]

How can we let people know about this an provide an apk?

[NOP4]

Same problem with: Android: 11 Country: France Age > 18 This device can only see elementX and NI2CE. Works fine on other devices in France.