The changes here are not just security but privacy related - new Androids now have permissions like "only allow location while the app is open", which was loudly requested even in HN community (and rightfully so).

This does mean that apps now need to take such new features into account and not horribly crash when users want to use them on the phone.

Requesting compliance with all new privacy features on Android 9,10,11 is not unreasonable for a store IMO. Especially when sideloading exists.

If it’s an issue with newer devices, just don’t show it for newer devices.

Or, since it’s a self serve platform, let the author decide not to show it to new devices.

Delisting seems rather extreme to me.

For privacy violations I think delisting is reasonable otherwise everyone just ignores it. We developers usually get more than a year of warning to fix the apps which hasn't been too onerous.

It does suck for abandonware apps though.

Why not just use an older version if you have an older device? Supporting years of ever-changing APIs is evidently painful. As a macOS user I’m kinda used to seeing “latest version for macOS 123 is a.b.c”

Because hardware shouldn't be considered dead if it can easily support new software, and the only hindrance is the profit model of marketplace in which it is distributed

> if it can easily support new software

Judging by the author’s comment, it's not easy, that's the whole point.

The hardware is capable of easily supporting the new software, but only if it gets OS updates. The problem isn't the hardware, it's the manufacturers.

It can be difficult to find older versions of apps from reputable sources, and often as difficult to know what OS version/architectures/screen sizes an old app will work with, at least on Android.

"removed from the play store" makes that difficult. Yeah there's probably an APK floating around somewhere...

Regardless of the current status of the specific app, yeah, I think the issue is the inability to download "the latest version supported by your device" directly from the Play Store.