Well, it happened. After hosting my apps since 2021, my Google Play Developer account has been permanently closed.
If you try to click the links in my previous posts for Diebstahl‑Schützer or the Local Ventilation Controller, you’ll hit a 404. My developer identity maxeoneo has effectively been wiped from the store.
🚫 Why did Google ban me?
It wasn't malice, malware, or bad code. It was silence.
Over the last year, Google has ramped up requirements for older apps (updating target SDK levels, verifying identity, confirming data safety policies). They sent emails about this—plenty of them.
The problem? Google sends so many automated mails about minor policy tweaks and "developer news" that I became desensitized. I missed the critical "Action Required" warnings among the noise. Because I didn't update the apps or respond within their strict time window, they categorized my account as dormant/non-compliant and shut it down.
🏔 The Mountain I Have to Climb
I assumed I could just pay the $25 fee, open a new account, and re-upload my APKs. I was wrong.
The Play Store is no longer the open playground it was in 2013 or even 2021. Google has introduced massive hurdles for new personal accounts to prevent spam:
- The 12-Tester Rule: I cannot simply publish to Production anymore. I am now required to run a "Closed Track" test first.
- The Requirement: I need 12 individual testers to install the app.
- The Duration: These testers must keep the app installed for 14 continuous days before I even get the option to apply for Production access.
😤 My Frustration
For a solo developer building niche tools (like my Ventilation Controller) or simple utilities, this feels like a massive stone in the way. I don't have a marketing team. I don't have a QA department. I just have code that I want to share with the world.
🚀 What's Next?
I am not giving up. I am currently setting up a fresh account and preparing the apps for this new, rigorous process.
To get my apps back online, I will need to build a small community of testers. If you have an Android device and want to help me hurdle this barrier, stay tuned—I’ll be posting a sign-up link soon.
The Wild West days of Android development are officially over. Welcome to the era of bureaucracy.