I've always been amazed by how unusable the play store was. I'd actually like to browse apps sometimes, but it always was choke full of useless ads pushing the worst apps possible. I only go there once every blue moon when I exactly know what I want, download it and get out of there.

It's not surprising, that's how their search engine has worked forever. But yeah, icky is a good word for it.

makes me want to increase the F-Droid alternatives that I use

Just go this way, and if you're fed up with the Play Store switch to Aurora Store: same apps, no ads.

Play Store search is horrible. You can literally search for the exact name of the app you want and NOT have it anywhere in the results.

Ads in any kind of app store search should SUPER NOT BE ALLOWED. Microsoft does it, Google does it, even the Apple app store has it. I don't want my grandma to be looking for her bank app and download Fast Cash Transfer Free 2024 Edition instead

Google rocketed past 'icky' long ago, around the time they awkwardly removed 'don't be evil' from their motto.

Just like Google Search results. I don't even really notice those anymore because my brain ignores them automatically.

I've clicked the "install" button on the ad by accident, more than once. The ad precedes an exact match, super dark pattern.

It's not a subtle ad. Google has sold the top slots of your search to companies in exchange for money.

When your search for "Excel", Google doesn't try to find you the most relevant result. They find you the highest paying ad, and then what you're searching for.

Google is an ad company, what do you expect.

You can use the Aurora Store, it's basically the Google Play store but without the annoying ads.

Working as desiged. The revenue from deceptive ads is higher then relevant ads.

TBH, Google itself is kinda "icky" and has been for awhile.

Yeah I think it's pretty wack. If I search doordash then Uber eats will be the first result or if I search Uber eats then doordash will be the first result lol the ads are getting so extreme it pretty much evens out in the end and it's all completely pointless aside from making everything more annoying for the user

Yes.

I don't mind suggested or even sponsored apps, but trying to get downloads via misclicks is underhanded.

The layout is very confusing. It makes it look like Excel is also an ad.

I'm glad I basically never use the play store.

Almost all ads are icky

It's about as icky as looking at my bank account and my bank highlighting a transfer to an investment house and suggesting its' own in the same line.

This has always been the case in Google search (you know the search engine Google started with as a company). Drove me crazy when I would see an old person click the AD link instead of the actual search result

The digital zeitgeist is a fuckin dystopia.

Dude they'd place adds directly in your medula spine fluid orif somethin if they could.

Yes, happens all the time.

Some sort of malware will always pop up before the app you're looking for.

Use the Aurora Store!

F-droid's your friend

I literally just prioritise f droid, and a Google App search tool I found a bit ago that let's you sort such to show no Inapp etc

https://playsearch.kaki87.net/

Where it came from: https://www.reddit.com/r/googleplay/comments/9lesfd/my_advanced_google_play_search_engine_webapp/

So icky.😱

If you're against this kind of behavior, you should advocate that Android/iOS are platforms and not products, so that centralized app stores are a medium for developers and not a proprietary product under one company.

It's gross and deceptive. I report them every time.

Can't think of a singular time that type of stuff hasn't been icky and absolutely disgusting.

Play Store doing this since September, at least in my region (SE Asia). If you disabled personalized ads on your Google Account, Play Store homepage displays ads that are frequently installed from your country/state.