I'd say Google has multiple ways of announcing important changes, like this list, (the front page of) developer.android.com, G+, blogs etc. For breaking changes, ideally all of them should be used. I don't think Google has to rely on developers being registered in some way to communicate breaking changes in APIs and behaviours.
I got bitten by the app encryption resurrection last year which broke any app that accesses resources/assets of another package. Like a fair amount of apps, we use a distribution model where the core app is free and can be extended by paid expansions, each of which is distributed in its own APK from Google Play. App encryption redux meant that accessing expansion APK's assets/ directory from the core app started to fail, silently - no errors indicated, no exceptions thrown, the expansion APK just seemed empty. I believe changes like this should be announced (at least) months ahead of time. There should be explanations of ramifications, there should be migration guides etc. etc. Instead, there was nothing - a two-line mention of app encryption in a change-log blog post but not a word about what it means for people like myself. I apologise if I'm missing anything but googling for an official description of the change and its effects turned out nothing in February still. Docs for createPackageContext() even still say "[The returned] Context is the same as what the named application gets when it is launched". ;-) If it weren't for an excellent blog post by Nikolay Elenkov (thanks Nikolay!) I'd probably never know what hit me, or it would have taken me days or weeks to find out. Note that I'm not criticising the app encryption change itself, just the way it was (not) communicated. A change that closes previously open access to something is pretty obvious to break something so acting like this can make you look arrogant. On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 5:38 PM, Ian Ni-Lewis <[email protected]> wrote: > You say that "My career doesn't revolve around only Google, and I have > other things to do than checking each x months if one API has been > discontinuated and I need to develop everything again." We do occasionally > need to update our software, and although we do try very hard to avoid > breaking changes, they do sometimes happen. How would you prefer to be > notified of these changes? Have you ever obtained a v1 API key or uploaded > an app to Google Play? If not, then how would Google have communicated this > important information to you? > Ian > > > On Tuesday, April 23, 2013 2:59:07 AM UTC-7, user123 wrote: >> >> Yes, in moments like this, I ask myself why I'm an Android developer :) I >> think I started basically because I didn't/don't like Apple. But >> reconsidering this position. >> >> Another thing I found quite annoying during this experience, is that >> there's not even a direct contact possibility. All I found was an email >> Address of Googe Play, then I got an automatic e-Mail in response, which >> told me, to answer directly if this doesn't solve the problem, I did, and >> then I got: >> >> "Thank you for your note. If you're looking for information regarding Google >> Maps Android API, please visit our Google Play Android Developer site: >> http://developer.android.com/**google/play-services/maps.html<http://developer.android.com/google/play-services/maps.html> >> **" >> >> I probably can't call this "bad costumer service", since I'm only a >> stupid developer, not a costumer, and I don't deserve any direct >> communication with Google. And not to dream about the possibility to get >> some human-generated consideration about my case and a key for v1. >> >> And I'm not afraid of writing this, because Google will not even read it >> :) >> >> So I'll delay my release and post soon my questions about v2. And try my >> best to keep my motivation to be an Android developer. >> >> >> Am Dienstag, 23. April 2013 03:07:00 UTC+2 schrieb Indicator Veritatis: >>> >>> In your message starting this thread, you say: "The context: I finished >>> an app a few months ago. I want to release it now." >>> >>> Well, it appears Google has, in its infinite wisdom, decided during >>> those "few months" not to give anyone a v1 key. Of course, this is >>> inconsiderate to developers, but Google is like that. Even in its worst >>> days, Apple had better relations with independent developers. >>> >>> But no doubt Google would ask, "well, what were you doing in those 'few >>> months' that you did not notice the need to update your app for the new >>> API?" Android developers have to roll with the punches and live with this >>> kind of abuse from Google, we cannot change it. >>> >>> Complain if you have to to get it out of your system, but then move on. >>> Either drop the app or rewrite it to use the new API. >>> >>> On Monday, April 22, 2013 3:47:10 AM UTC-7, user123 wrote: >>>> >>>> Can you please stop using this conversation (only) to promote yourself >>>> :) thanks. >>>> >>>> I can google the information myself. This is not any serious help. What >>>> I need is an API key for v1 to release my finished app. >>>> >>>> >>>> Am Montag, 22. April 2013 12:27:57 UTC+2 schrieb VenomVendor™: >>>>> >>>>> There is no other way, than porting to MapsV2. >>>>> If you find any difficulty in anypart of MapsV2, We as a developer >>>>> will support you to the best. >>>>> I suggest you to post in the same thread rather than creating new >>>>> thread. >>>>> Before you Post, Search in >>>>> StackOverflow<http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/android-maps-v2> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *To start with MapsV2.* >>>>> >>>>> Here are few links to start with MapsV2 >> Getting Started with >>>>> Google >>>>> MapsV2<http://venomvendor.blogspot.in/2013/04/getting-started-with-google-mapv2-for.html> >>>>> To create a custom overlay with custom typeface, I suggest you to see >>>>> this >> Using Custom Typeface in Maps >>>>> V2<http://stackoverflow.com/q/15668430/1008278> >>>>> If you want any help, let us know, Sharing is Caring. >>>>> >>>>> My Android Apps-(Rate & >>>>> Review<https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=VenomVendor> >>>>> ) >>>>> >>>>> -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Android Developers" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Android Developers" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. 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