The WoW Companion App is Retiring

[trapmaster]

Never used it

[Spikeychris]

Why remove something people use a lot? Wtf.

It was literally a good app. Being able to manage auctions and stuff on the go was top tier.

They have the user data for how many people actually use the app and you don't. If it was actually popular they might bother to support it when they add the Warbands feature, it obviously isn't popular so they are getting rid of it.

I had forgotten it existed.

[Zardas]

For one, because the google play store is just the most effective way to get apps onto an android phone since it comes stock on all phones, and two because you literally cant load apps not from the app store onto an iPhone. Self-distribution isn't a great way to get your software out there in the mobile world.

Not gonna lie, it seems very strange to me that companies can legally prevent people from using their property however they want, or that the majority of people would rather take the time to create a google account instead of just downloading the softwares directly.

[WeAreNotSmilesTimes]

The person you're quoting stated they have never used a store before to download apps, so it's likely they're still using a flip phone (or no phone), and doesn't understand how this all works.

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Here folks, is an example of a player's confirmation bias --- Something the playerbase believes is true about the game, when it's obviously not.

Obviously people don't use the app a lot, or they wouldn't have made the decision to just get rid of it with a simple 3 sentence farewell.

Oh that's his entire MO. Read his post history. He believes any opinion he has is shared by atleast 99% of the community and speaks for us all regularly.

[Delekii]

This thread is twilight zone weird. It's blatantly true that 99.9% of people download 99.9% of their software from play store or the app store, and the post by Blizzard was abundantly clear and obvious in its meaning.

Even in the case that you understand and utilise third party app stores, side loading apks or whatever else to obtain apps, that doesn't change your basic understanding of what a company means when they say an app will no longer be available for download - it is immediately and objectively clear that they mean from official sources.

It's like you picked this random thread on a random website to challenge the status quo of how we perceive app stores as a collective userbase by employing feigned ignorance or an alternate universe where it isn't the case that play store and app store are ubiquitously first port of call (and last, for the vast majority of users).

[The-Shan]

Not gonna lie, it seems very strange to me that companies can legally prevent people from using their property however they want, or that the majority of people would rather take the time to create a google account instead of just downloading the softwares directly.

Yeah a lot of people don't like it, but that's the world we live in, unfortunately. its a whole controversy with the iPhone, even if android /does/ have a couple other app stores, none come close to even scraping the play stores market share.

[Daedius]

A pet battle app would be nice...

[Nerph-]

This thread is twilight zone weird. It's blatantly true that 99.9% of people download 99.9% of their software from play store or the app store, and the post by Blizzard was abundantly clear and obvious in its meaning.

Even in the case that you understand and utilise third party app stores, side loading apks or whatever else to obtain apps, that doesn't change your basic understanding of what a company means when they say an app will no longer be available for download - it is immediately and objectively clear that they mean from official sources.

It's like you picked this random thread on a random website to challenge the status quo of how we perceive app stores as a collective userbase by employing feigned ignorance or an alternate universe where it isn't the case that play store and app store are ubiquitously first port of call (and last, for the vast majority of users).

Haha, this is pretty much how I feel about this whole thread. It kinda feels like a 5 year old constantly replying with "but why?" when you try to explain something to them.

[Aucald]

Not gonna lie, it seems very strange to me that companies can legally prevent people from using their property however they want, or that the majority of people would rather take the time to create a google account instead of just downloading the softwares directly.

That's kind of the general underpinning of the concept of software as a service. The WoW Companion App isn't really commercial software you can privately own - it's a service portal managed remotely by Blizzard, the app just permits you access to the platform and/or remote service.

[chrisisvacant]

This thread is twilight zone weird. It's blatantly true that 99.9% of people download 99.9% of their software from play store or the app store, and the post by Blizzard was abundantly clear and obvious in its meaning.

Even in the case that you understand and utilise third party app stores, side loading apks or whatever else to obtain apps, that doesn't change your basic understanding of what a company means when they say an app will no longer be available for download - it is immediately and objectively clear that they mean from official sources.

It's like you picked this random thread on a random website to challenge the status quo of how we perceive app stores as a collective userbase by employing feigned ignorance or an alternate universe where it isn't the case that play store and app store are ubiquitously first port of call (and last, for the vast majority of users).

So eloquently put and unexpected. I thought, reading from the first post on, that I was going nuts. He did successfully wind people in circles for a while though. Crazy.

[Phlegethon]

Not gonna lie, it seems very strange to me that companies can legally prevent people from using their property however they want, or that the majority of people would rather take the time to create a google account instead of just downloading the softwares directly.

You really should read some aup's though. Most games you think you own, you don't actually own. You pay for the privilege of using them and the studios can take them from you whenever they damn well please. ;-)

Furthermore, those sideloaded stores are fine if you live in a country with no access to the real thing (or buy some chinese phones that is not allowed to use google play store) but really, it seems you have no idea what you are on about. Apple appstore, google play, those are the gateways to apps on your phone for the vast majority of people. Those stores you mention are next to irrelevant except for people that need them. You also get warnings if you tried to sideload apk's (or as you specify it, download it from random sites and try to install them). That really is not the way it works for most people.

[Zardas]

Yeah a lot of people don't like it, but that's the world we live in, unfortunately. its a whole controversy with the iPhone, even if android /does/ have a couple other app stores, none come close to even scraping the play stores market share.

So, I picked Aptoide and tried to compare it to the Google play store. For some reason, the data for both of them stop at 2017. In any case, if we take these data for comparison we got :

Google play store :
- Number of applications : 3.5 million
- Number of users : theoretically all of android users if it's installed by default. Let's be very generous and say 4 billion

Aptoide :
- Number of applications : 1 million
- Number of users : 200 millions

So yeah, the google store is ahead in the competition, but I wouldn't say that the other are not "close to even scraping its market share". And that's just one competitor.

You really should read some aup's though. Most games you think you own, you don't actually own. You pay for the privilege of using them and the studios can take them from you whenever they damn well please. ;-)

That I know, but I was speaking about the physical thing that you own. Like, you own your pc, you can install whatever you want on it. You own your phone, so you should be able to install whatever you want on it as well.

Furthermore, those sideloaded stores are fine if you live in a country with no access to the real thing (or buy some chinese phones that is not allowed to use google play store) but really, it seems you have no idea what you are on about. Apple appstore, google play, those are the gateways to apps on your phone for the vast majority of people. Those stores you mention are next to irrelevant except for people that need them.

Not blaming you but I think that, like most people here, you underestimate the market share of the other stores and the various websites (see above for example).

You also get warnings if you tried to sideload apk's (or as you specify it, download it from random sites and try to install them). That really is not the way it works for most people.

That's how I always installed softwares on my phone, and I don't remember getting any warning.

Haha, this is pretty much how I feel about this whole thread. It kinda feels like a 5 year old constantly replying with "but why?" when you try to explain something to them.

Well, the only answer I get (except from the mod who presented a good explanation) is "because that's how it is", so I'm sure you can understand why I'm trying to dig a bit

[Nerph-]

Well, the only answer I get (except from the mod you presented a good explanation) is "because that's how it is", so I'm sure you can understand why I'm trying to dig a bit

The Google Play Store, and the Apple App Store, are the default stores automatically loaded on Android and Apple phones, hence why 99.9% of companies use them. It's easier for consumers to know they can just go to the store, search there and find what they want, instead of having to go to each companies website and download from there.

It's only recently that you can change the App store on Apple phones, and I believe it's only in the EU (not 100% sure though).

[ketsui]

dont you guys have phones?

[FelPlague]

Yes, I got that, but I was wondering why they would choose to appoint other companies as "official sources" instead of doing it themselves.

Why does blizzard rely on you having a web browser, instead of making one themselves? Why does blizzard rely on you having a computer from another company, instead of making PC's themselves.

[Depakote]

Why does blizzard rely on you having a web browser, instead of making one themselves? Why does blizzard rely on you having a computer from another company, instead of making PC's themselves.

They do make computers themselves. They're under the microsoft brand

[MrLachyG]

They have the user data for how many people actually use the app and you don't. If it was actually popular they might bother to support it when they add the Warbands feature, it obviously isn't popular so they are getting rid of it.

I had forgotten it existed.

Wasn’t it only used for Legion stuff? Or am I misremembering? Yeah nobody is using it if it’s just for Legion stuff

[vizzle]

Why the fuck was this post hijacked by some weirdo who turned it into a discussion about having various app stores? Why do mods not ban shit like this? This is why MMO-Champ discussions are ridiculous. This is why the Reddit format is superior; if there's one asshole who won't get over his ridiculous point, at least you can just close his entire worthless thought process in one click. Fucking weirdos on this site, man.

His entire problem is that they used the word "downloading"; that's why various people have lost time and energy, because this Sheldon Cooper doesn't like that Blizzard used the word "downloading" and wants to prove that the app can still be "downloaded" and Blizzard can't do anything about it. It doesn't matter to him that, just because you can find a place to download it, doesn't mean anything will actually work because the app will no longer be "on" on Blizzard's side. He still wants to turn it into a discussion about how he can prove that you can still "download" it and therefore Blizzard made a serious faux pas in their statement.

Does it add anything to the discussion? Does it contribute anything to the point of the post? Does any of it actually matter? No to everything. So why in the world does he care so much about making these points? Is it trolling, or something in his head? I sincerely can't understand.

This discussion doesn't end for him until Blizzard retracts the statement and comes back and says "We're sorry for saying you can't 'download' it, we can't stop the possibility that it may still be downloadable somewhere on the internet, thank you Zardas for clearing up that error."

This fucking site has a new Sheldon Cooper everyday.

[Mysterymask]

They do make computers themselves. They're under the microsoft brand

I mean yes but Blizzard themselves doesn't its not like there's a Blizzard branded PC out there. Like Game Freak is a studio under Nintendo but Game Freak doesn't make the switch Nintendo does. Naughty Dog despite being under Sony doesn't make PS5s and Marvel doesn't make Disney Land Rides

[vizzle]

Yes, I got that, but I was wondering why they would choose to appoint other companies as "official sources" instead of doing it themselves.

Because, you ****ing ****rd, everyone already has the Apple App Store on their iPhone or the Android equivalent on their Android phone. You don't want to download an entire store just to download one app. It's about minimizing steps in the process. Do you live under a rock?