Have you tried commenting on Google Play? You need Google+. I have an Android phone but I shouldn't need a Google+ account when I have my regular Google account which actually works on Google Play.

And it wasn't like this when I bought my phone. I can't "opt out" of my phone. I already bought it before they required Google+ for Play's comments.

Have you tried using YouTube? They keep nagging you to open a profile.

etc. etc.

I tried using Facebook and it wants me to create a Profile!

I want to post a tweet but Twitter wants me to create a Profile!

I already have a profile both for Google Play and for YouTube. They want me to sign to a different service.

"I want to post a tweet but Twitter wants me to open a bank account!"

Your argument is invalid.

Also: they wouldn't be nagging me if I had no account. Did they nag you when using YouTube while logged out? They don't nag me when I'm not logged in.

Google's argument is that they aren't different services, they are all 'just Google'. Say what you want about that philosophy, but it has worked well for many people, myself included.

I have a Google Account which is 'just Google'. That came years before Google+.

Whatever Google says, they're just trying to impose Google+ as a social hub.

Identity across Google's services is an absolute mess. They seem to be trying to integrate on one identity per person rather than separate YouTube, GMail, Google Search, Play, etc. accounts. Which makes perfect sense, considering they're all part of the same organization.

"I just want to register for courses, but my university wants me to make a .edu email address!" would be a better analogy. They aren't part of the same functionality, but the organization is moving towards one identity provider across all its services.

Could you imagine the nightmare for IT if email, library, VPN, course registration, brusar, Blackboard, facilities ticketing, software discounts, help desk, file server, 802.11X, workstation login, etc. were all separate usernames/passwords? There is a reason most universities have one central authentication service. My school's network IDs are even even integrated with ID cards so (as of next year) you can reserve space with your network login and then tap/swipe your ID to access it.

It isn't like Twitter asking you to open a bank account because Twitter doesn't also provide banking.

Every web site out there that wants engagement from users encourage visitors to create an account.

I'm actively trying not to use Google+ and it wants me to create a profile!

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's not like Google Play is necessary for an Android device to work. That's already an extreme improvement over Apple's store, which is even less free, open, and modular and also requires you to create an Apple ID (though thankfully Apple hasn't tried fumbling with a tied-in social network or similar web services).

So what?