[Q] Google+ Account needed to Review an App in Google Play Store - General Questions and Answers

Today I wanted to write a Review for a Purchased App that I found to be very nice in the Google Play Store. Unfortunately I realized I am no longer able to do so without changing my Google Account to a Google+ Account.
I tried to stay away from signing up for a Google+ Account for a while now but keep getting closer and closer to having to do so. Does anyone know of a way to Review Apps in the Store without Google+. I was very suprised to see this from Google. Not a very nice change and it will certainly keep some people from writing comments.
By the way I am not writing this to start a debate about the Pros and Cons of Google+ but to find ways to stay away from Google+ for as long as possible for whatever reason there might be. I could not find a debate about Googles Move on XDA so I am wondering if I am the last one without a Google+ Account.

I think if you have Gmail acct you also have Google+ acct. I never "signed up" for Google+ either but if you open the app you'll see your acct already using your Gmail user name. I think the message on the playstore is just a legal notice in case you want to change your user name before posting cause most people don't want their actual legal name posted (like anyone uses their real name for Gmail anyway).
Sent from my M886 using Tapatalk 2

You can avoid G+ for the time being, but Google has plans to bring Android, G+ and Chrome gaming together, so you're pretty much screwed in the near future, sorry.

jbrt said:
I think if you have Gmail acct you also have Google+ acct. I never "signed up" for Google+ either but if you open the app you'll see your acct already using your Gmail user name. I think the message on the playstore is just a legal notice in case you want to change your user name before posting cause most people don't want their actual legal name posted (like anyone uses their real name for Gmail anyway).
Sent from my M886 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it asks me to upgrade my Gmail Account to a Google+ Account all over the place. And I cant use my Account anywhere were Google mandates a Google+ Account. For now I will not accept the changes and life with the limitations.
renome said:
You can avoid G+ for the time being, but Google has plans to bring Android, G+ and Chrome gaming together, so you're pretty much screwed in the near future, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are most likely right and I am just hopping to be able to use my Account a little longer until I can change back to Microsoft. Not sure if that will work out for me since I am a Galaxy Note User and with that I most likely will not change until a same sized device comes out with Windows Phone 8. Which probably is not going to hapen anytime soon. Anyway long story short I guess I cant write Reviews for my purchased Apps anymore which I can life with, I rather accept that then change my Account.

Oh man. Well thanks for letting me know.
I'l been doing my damnest to avoid Google+ for years now. Seems like I'll have to stop review apps too.

Related

[Q] Prevent cloud storage of contacts and calendar?

I just got a SNS as my first smart phone, I went through all the privacy and account settings I could find and disabled all sync options.
So imagine my amazed horror when I found that all my contacts and calendar entries (and wtf else) are being sent to mr google for access through google dot com/contacts etc
I also found you cant delete a primary gmail account once it's in there - so I cant find any way to stop this behaviour.
Is it possible to keep your contacts and calendar etc only stored local to the phone?
If not possible with stock 2.3 is there a mod like CM7 that doesnt use the google services?
Cheers!
I don't see how it's a bad thing. You never ever have worry about losing your contacts once they sync up with the mothership.
I don't you can access things like the market without a Google account either.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
@troopstar
Yes, it is possible to use the Nexus without a Google account in its stock and root state.
Stock and root you can tap the sign-in and navigate to the skip the Google sign-in, but as stated by Zardos66 you don't get to use the Google apps. Like the market, Gmail, Google voice and talk etc without some walk around.
You can sign-in and go back to the accounts & sync and uncheck the boxes and still use the phone and just save all contacts to phone only. This way you can still have access to the Google services if you choose to do so.
If you're so worried about your data being compromised or giving in to Google. Then why did you get a Google phone in the first place if you want to cripple the so-called "Google Experience" with a "Paranoid Experience?" Get a Windows Phone or iPhone.
Like seriously, you just defeated the whole purpose of a phone powered by Android. Google Apps are there to simplify your life. It just wants a warm hug back.
If you really want to cripple your phone and not have any Google services on then flash CM7 and dont flash the gapps.
zephiK said:
If you're so worried about your data being compromised or giving in to Google. Then why did you get a Google phone in the first place if you want to cripple the so-called "Google Experience" with a "Paranoid Experience?"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The question wasn't about "Google Experience" - the topic starter didn't want to get rid of Gapps, like GMail or Google Market. He just wanted to avoid syncing calendar and contacts to Google servers. What's wrong with that? I am getting my Nexus S in a week and I am worried about this issue too. I just don't want to sync online this kind of sensible data - I am perfectly comfortable with my offline contacts' and calendar copies on my PC and external HDD. I am backing up my cell phones from the year 2005 (always had SE, so I used MyPhoneExplorer) and I have never lost any contact, calendar entry or SMS. Hell, I have all my incoming and outgoing SMSes from 2005. I must admit that Google syncing is good for careless people who wipe their phones now and then and in doing so find themselves with no contacts, no calendar events and not even a saved backup to restore everything from. But it's not my case, do you see my point? I don't need Google to "babysit" me and offer his help in syncing my data to his servers - I back up my data very well on my own.
By the way, the "Google Experience" part in your post and your call for changing the Android phone for Winphone or iPhone was a very unpleasant and rude exaggeration. Basically, what you said was equal to saying, for example, that if you want to go the "French way" (or to have the "French experience", paraphrasing you words) you must eat frogs at the restaurant, and if you are of a different opinion and fail to do so - you are a loser. Personally, I hate frogs, but I will always go for a good french wine, so does it make my "French experience" less "french" than anybody elses? In other words, there is no need to be calling people "***holes" if their "Google Experience" doesn't match your own. It's an experience, and it differs from people to people. There is even a saying about that: "Experience may vary".
Getting back on topic, i.e. speaking of backing up in offline mode, I was wondering if you guys could gently help me by pointing at a good program that syncs Contacts and Calendar events to Microsoft Outlook 2007 (without uploading anything to Gmail). I know that the newest version of MyPhoneExplorer has the Android support, but does it work for Nexus S? If not, what other programs can do that? From what I've read so far, this issue is very crippled for Android (unlike many other OSes), but that was several months ago. Has anything changed in a positive way since then?
arbalet42 said:
The question wasn't about "Google Experience" - the topic starter didn't want to get rid of Gapps, like GMail or Google Market. He just wanted to avoid syncing calendar and contacts to Google servers. What's wrong with that? I am getting my Nexus S in a week and I am worried about this issue too. I just don't want to sync online this kind of sensible data - I am perfectly comfortable with my offline contacts' and calendar copies on my PC and external HDD. I am backing up my cell phones from the year 2005 (always had SE, so I used MyPhoneExplorer) and I have never lost any contact, calendar entry or SMS. Hell, I have all my incoming and outgoing SMSes from 2005. I must admit that Google syncing is good for careless people who wipe their phones now and then and in doing so find themselves with no contacts, no calendar events and not even a saved backup to restore everything from. But it's not my case, do you see my point? I don't need Google to "babysit" me and offer his help in syncing my data to his servers - I back up my data very well on my own.
By the way, the "Google Experience" part in your post and your call for changing the Android phone for Winphone or iPhone was a very unpleasant and rude exaggeration. Basically, what you said was equal to saying, for example, that if you want to go the "French way" (or to have the "French experience", paraphrasing you words) you must eat frogs at the restaurant, and if you are of a different opinion and fail to do so - you are a loser. Personally, I hate frogs, but I will always go for a good french wine, so does it make my "French experience" less "french" than anybody elses? In other words, there is no need to be calling people "***holes" if their "Google Experience" doesn't match your own. It's an experience, and it differs from people to people. There is even a saying about that: "Experience may vary".
Getting back on topic, i.e. speaking of backing up in offline mode, I was wondering if you guys could gently help me by pointing at a good program that syncs Contacts and Calendar events to Microsoft Outlook 2007 (without uploading anything to Gmail). I know that the newest version of MyPhoneExplorer has the Android support, but does it work for Nexus S? If not, what other programs can do that? From what I've read so far, this issue is very crippled for Android (unlike many other OSes), but that was several months ago. Has anything changed in a positive way since then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoa. Didn't have to write a essay to me. Not even going to bother reading it because ur phone history and i can really care less.
If you read the ops last sentence in regards to cm7 without Google services. So was my post relevant? Yes.
If Microsoft wanted to they can create a Microsoft experience on Android with a manufacturer packaging MS apps like Bing, Bing maps, live mail etc.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Frankly, get used to cloud sync most os manufacturers are moving to it.
Microsoft even abandoned desktop sync for info management / backup (except for pictures and music) in Windows Phone 7. Microsoft makes the majority of their money from desktop software (like outlook) so when they say direct desktop sync is dead it really is.
atlp99 said:
Frankly, get used to cloud sync most os manufacturers are moving to it.
Microsoft even abandoned desktop sync for info management / backup (except for pictures and music) in Windows Phone 7. Microsoft makes the majority of their money from desktop software (like outlook) so when they say direct desktop sync is dead it really is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I dont get why people don't trust these companies. Like really, if they were to compromise your data or it get compromised. It would devastate the company, it would damage their reputation in the business world. Leading to investors panicing and selling etc etc.
This isn't a business lecture so I wouldn't even go in depth. Long story short, it would look bad on their part and all the trust they would of gained would be lost by consumers and investors.
Well... don't wanna sound like a jackass or something, but to be plain simple: who gives a f#@% about your personal data? I mean aside yourself. It's simply not useful for anyone else, and I seriously doubt there's an evil dude siting in a chair in a dark room at montain view, laughing maniacly cause you just synced your phone book into google servers.
For them it's just statistics, no personal info is relevant. If the guy wanna keep all his data offline cause he don't think is safe enough to leave it in a server (gmail accounts being resetd)... Than I think is a lot more likely his phone get stolen and his house burn to the ground in the same day than google losing it somehow.
But it's free world and everyone can do whatever they want, so if I'm not mistaken all you have to do is skip the login at the beginning (like when you wipe your phone) and add the account manually and uncheck all kind of sync. And just to be sure don't put a sin card on the phone or activate the internet before u set it up.
And ofc delete all info in gmail contacts.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
The funniest thing would be to learn that the OP uses Facebook...
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Nutsonfire said:
The funniest thing would be to learn that the OP uses Facebook...
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll be sad to hear that I havent ever used Facebook
I'm surprised by the hostility of some of the responses here. I like to think I'm pro-choice / freedom to tinker - let me choose to sync to the cloud and get the so called great experience, or choose to keep things local.
Mr Google already knows my porn surfing habbits and who I email via gmail, adding my phone contacts list gives pretty much a 100% view of my 'social network'.
I'm an Aussie, and while I guess my government here could get a bunch of warrants to piece this picture together - I have faith that this isnt gonna happen as I'm not a criminal or terrorist.
While I love you yanks (what we call Americans), I dont understand your legal system, and dont like the idea of all my info being mined courtesy of Google and the Patriot Act.
Call me paranoid if you like, but deny me this choice and I call you a wanker.
I thought a premise of an open source OS like Android was the ability to customise, not be locked into stuff like this?
gratti said:
Well... don't wanna sound like a jackass or something, but to be plain simple: who gives a f#@% about your personal data? I mean aside yourself. It's simply not useful for anyone else, and I seriously doubt there's an evil dude siting in a chair in a dark room at montain view, laughing maniacly cause you just synced your phone book into google servers.
For them it's just statistics, no personal info is relevant. If the guy wanna keep all his data offline cause he don't think is safe enough to leave it in a server (gmail accounts being resetd)... Than I think is a lot more likely his phone get stolen and his house burn to the ground in the same day than google losing it somehow.
But it's free world and everyone can do whatever they want, so if I'm not mistaken all you have to do is skip the login at the beginning (like when you wipe your phone) and add the account manually and uncheck all kind of sync. And just to be sure don't put a sin card on the phone or activate the internet before u set it up.
And ofc delete all info in gmail contacts.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did skip the initial login, however I had to add an account later to use the Market.
My contacts list is not being synced with new ones I add, but I think it did a one-time sync when I added the account as all those in the phone at the time are there.
I guess I'll have to use a packet sniffer to see if new ones are being sent to google anyway (if not displayed).
Thanks for the tip about just deleting them - I'll do that and hope no future 'oops' does a reverse sync and delete them all off the phone.
zephiK said:
Whoa. Didn't have to write a essay to me. Not even going to bother reading it because ur phone history and i can really care less.
If you read the ops last sentence in regards to cm7 without Google services. So was my post relevant? Yes.
If Microsoft wanted to they can create a Microsoft experience on Android with a manufacturer packaging MS apps like Bing, Bing maps, live mail etc.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Touchdown works great with exchange. And there is no need to use Google with it. Hope that helps.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
gratti said:
Well... don't wanna sound like a jackass or something, but to be plain simple: who gives a f#@% about your personal data? I mean aside yourself. It's simply not useful for anyone else, and I seriously doubt there's an evil dude siting in a chair in a dark room at montain view, laughing maniacly cause you just synced your phone book into google servers.
For them it's just statistics, no personal info is relevant. If the guy wanna keep all his data offline cause he don't think is safe enough to leave it in a server (gmail accounts being resetd)... Than I think is a lot more likely his phone get stolen and his house burn to the ground in the same day than google losing it somehow.
But it's free world and everyone can do whatever they want, so if I'm not mistaken all you have to do is skip the login at the beginning (like when you wipe your phone) and add the account manually and uncheck all kind of sync. And just to be sure don't put a sin card on the phone or activate the internet before u set it up.
And ofc delete all info in gmail contacts.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't read your whole post but I'm gonna answer that first statement about evils dudes and your personal data
Your right there not going to hack your data but they will sell it to other people. In turn sell it for thousands of dollars to people looking for a marketing crowd. I'm not saying Google does this but the risk does exist. Personally I trust Google with my data but I can definitely understand if people don't trust them. Android is about an open experience which means if someone doesn't want tosync to Google theta shouldn't have too.
Am I wrong in saying this?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Menu -> Settings -> Accounts and Sync
As suggested though, why get a cloud phone when you don't want to use it?
thommcg said:
Menu -> Settings -> Accounts and Sync
As suggested though, why get a cloud phone when you don't want to use it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair question.
I was expecting the latest greatest android phone, from the guys doing the android dev, and with excellent intergration to google services if I wanted to use em.
I had nfi, and it wasnt on anything in the box, that all my contacts are synced to 'the cloud'.
Sure as an option that's cool but it appears to be a lot more tightly coupled, and thats my concern.
troopstar said:
Fair question.
I was expecting the latest greatest android phone, from the guys doing the android dev, and with excellent intergration to google services if I wanted to use em.
I had nfi, and it wasnt on anything in the box, that all my contacts are synced to 'the cloud'.
Sure as an option that's cool but it appears to be a lot more tightly coupled, and thats my concern.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not.
Go into sync the gmail then untick where it says contacts or gmail or whatever else. Viola, no more syncing of contacts with your phone. Just by default it is ticked because most people want their contacts synced I would assume but its very easy to stop it. Just follow the insturction above.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
dsellers2 said:
I didn't read your whole post but I'm gonna answer that first statement about evils dudes and your personal data
Your right there not going to hack your data but they will sell it to other people. In turn sell it for thousands of dollars to people looking for a marketing crowd. I'm not saying Google does this but the risk does exist. Personally I trust Google with my data but I can definitely understand if people don't trust them. Android is about an open experience which means if someone doesn't want tosync to Google theta shouldn't have too.
Am I wrong in saying this?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should had read until the second paragraph. Like I said before for them it's just statistics. Like, you sync your phone book and X% of your contacts are off state or international. That info is sent, so next time you log into gmail you gonna see an offer about long distance calls. Like I said, statistics.
They are not selling your info, they are selling the statistics they collect about their userbase. And thx to that you don't pay a dime for the best mail service around, and for that matter all google services.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
troopstar said:
Fair question.
I was expecting the latest greatest android phone, from the guys doing the android dev, and with excellent intergration to google services if I wanted to use em.
I had nfi, and it wasnt on anything in the box, that all my contacts are synced to 'the cloud'.
Sure as an option that's cool but it appears to be a lot more tightly coupled, and thats my concern.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you checked about sync options inside gmail? I would not be surprised if the contacts were getting pulled from the phone, so next time you would send a mail from browser you would had your contacts ready. That's google like.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

[Q] New Market

So did anyone else notice that the new Market has an account setting? Allows me to select different accounts. Does this finally mean that I can merge two accounts worth of apps? Family style?
dlang123 said:
So did anyone else notice that the new Market has an account setting? Allows me to select different accounts. Does this finally mean that I can merge two accounts worth of apps? Family style?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im not sure if you can merge 2 accounts, They have to have a way of preventing people from signing into a family members account and downloading apps that were bought thru said account. If not then it poses a serious problem for app developers and devs getting paid correctly. Unfortunately I dont have another account to test it on..
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
"Your application purchases are tied to your Google Account and can be installed an unlimited amount of times on any device." See:
http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=113410
It works for watching movies rented on another account, too:
http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1283330
Keep in mind you do still have to add the additional Google account(s) to the phone, meaning the device will have access to all other Google services including Gmail.
so lets say I added my gmail account to my wifes phone and downloaded all the apps I have paid for to her phone..couldnt I just delete my gmail from her phone after and her phone would still have all my apps on it?
The documentation doesn't say, but most likely yes, and it'd be real easy to test it. Just add your account, download an app, remove the account, and see what happens.
Keep in mind, though, that without the associated Google account you won't be able to update those apps -- which is an enormous downside in the long run.
chiahead52 said:
so lets say I added my gmail account to my wifes phone and downloaded all the apps I have paid for to her phone..couldnt I just delete my gmail from her phone after and her phone would still have all my apps on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I plan on just having a family account to buy apps on, and then add that to all the phones. But it use to be that it had to be the main account.. I haven't purchased any apps yet, recent iphone switcher, but now it appears to not have to be the main account... which is awesome cause google talk only worked with the main.

Multiple Google accounts on you're phone.

How many of you have more then one Google account on you're phone?
Does it add more Battery drain or cause any issues?
The reason I ask is I have a game linked to one account but it's not my main account. In order to play the game I must use my other Google account.
I guess I'm just asking how many of you have more then one account for any reason at all.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
I have 2. One private one school. It drains a bit more than one since I got both on sync. If I only have one on sync I don't notice any difference to one account.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I have several one for business and one for my personal gmail.
Adding multiple gmails wouldn't drain your battery provided you opt for a sync option too often. Since you use an email ID for game purpose and most probably you need regular updates on that better u turn on auto sync for that and just the normal one for other account.
Sent from my Micromax A116 using xda app-developers app
3 account here and dont notice Any battery drain
Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk 2
I have 2, don't notice any battery drain.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda app-developers app
I have three accounts and don't notice any extra battery drain.
Eight accounts, but I have none set to auto sync. (Living on a border makes setting anything that involves Data to auto sync a terrible idea.) So no battery drain.
A little off topic here, but is there any good reason to have more than 1 Gmail account set up?
I have 3. I don't see any difference in battery life.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
toughtrasher said:
A little off topic here, but is there any good reason to have more than 1 Gmail account set up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple. Most of us have multiple accounts.
- A friends account. Usually the one you've had for years. It's also generally an embarrasing and/or unprofessional name.
- A professional account. Because applying for a job under 'Daworldsmahb*[email protected]' is not going to get you hired. Ever.
- A work account. Most occupations give you a company email, and more and more often it's a Gmail account.
- A uni account. Because we really don't want our professors/teachers in our Hangout/ Google+
- A spam account. For all the websites/papers/adverts/coupons you register on that you know are going to spam you with pointless rubbish. (though you usually don't set this up on your phone to sync.)
- There's more reasons.
I'm using 2 Accounts at the moment with no effect on performance or battery drain at all. Need them both because one is for private use and the other for more public
ShadowLea said:
Simple. Most of us have multiple accounts.
- A friends account. Usually the one you've had for years. It's also generally an embarrasing and/or unprofessional name.
- A professional account. Because applying for a job under 'Daworldsmahb*[email protected]' is not going to get you hired. Ever.
- A work account. Most occupations give you a company email, and more and more often it's a Gmail account.
- A uni account. Because we really don't want our professors/teachers in our Hangout/ Google+
- A spam account. For all the websites/papers/adverts/coupons you register on that you know are going to spam you with pointless rubbish. (though you usually don't set this up on your phone to sync.)
- There's more reasons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, I actually own a business account, a spam account, a personal account, and a work account.
However, I set these all up on my phone (not to sync) but anyone can easily use my phone and look at the different accounts I have, right? I don't want to set up a lock on the phone because it makes me inefficient and it's pretty slow. Any workaround?
Do people also use multiple Gmail accounts just for the Play Store because I see absolutely no reason for that.
toughtrasher said:
Correct, I actually own a business account, a spam account, a personal account, and a work account.
However, I set these all up on my phone (not to sync) but anyone can easily use my phone and look at the different accounts I have, right? I don't want to set up a lock on the phone because it makes me inefficient and it's pretty slow. Any workaround?
Do people also use multiple Gmail accounts just for the Play Store because I see absolutely no reason for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you dont want to set up a lock on your phone, look into privacy apps. They generally have an option to lock specific apps with a password. (antivirus apps do, too, but eat more battery..)
Not on my phone, but my gmail account is linked to mum's tablet as a secondary Google Play account. Why? Because she uses many the same apps as me, and we're not rich enough to buy it all twice. (Next launcher is 13 euro's, f*ck no, that's 2 days worth of food! .) And if you remove the account, the license check comes back as invalid.
Send From My Samsung Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk 2
ShadowLea said:
Simple. Most of us have multiple accounts.
- A friends account. Usually the one you've had for years. It's also generally an embarrasing and/or unprofessional name.
- A professional account. Because applying for a job under 'Daworldsmahb*[email protected]' is not going to get you hired. Ever.
- A work account. Most occupations give you a company email, and more and more often it's a Gmail account.
- A uni account. Because we really don't want our professors/teachers in our Hangout/ Google+
- A spam account. For all the websites/papers/adverts/coupons you register on that you know are going to spam you with pointless rubbish. (though you usually don't set this up on your phone to sync.)
- There's more reasons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ShadowLea said:
If you dont want to set up a lock on your phone, look into privacy apps. They generally have an option to lock specific apps with a password. (antivirus apps do, too, but eat more battery..)
Not on my phone, but my gmail account is linked to mum's tablet as a secondary Google Play account. Why? Because she uses many the same apps as me, and we're not rich enough to buy it all twice. (Next launcher is 13 euro's, f*ck no, that's 2 days worth of food! .) And if you remove the account, the license check comes back as invalid.
Send From My Samsung Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not necessarily the apps themselves showing I have multiple accounts, but the phone. For example if I go to my "Phone >> Contacts >> My profile" it shows I have multiple email accounts. It also shows in the Settings >> Accounts that I have a lot of emails.
Thanks for all the replys.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

Is anyone else sick of being forced to use Google+

I just flashed Lollipop on my phone, and noticed they got rid of the Gallery app to get people to use "Photos" which is pretty much the samee thing but REQUIRES Google+ which I don't have, or want.
You can't even leave reviews in the play store without a Google+ account, and my friend went to Spain and used a Spanish map app, so now every time I open the play store, it's like "oh you'll like this map of spain because your friend used it"
I don't want a map of spain. and apparently the only way to disable that is... by creating a Google+ account
Also what's the deal with having an email and a gmail app, and when you open the email app it just says "use gmail now"? Why even bother putting it on there? Plus I know the Nexus 4 is an old device, but Lollipop lags extremely badly, especially on the recent apps list)
All of these little things and the ugly new theme seems like a step back tbh.

How does Google decide who to suggest for people to follow on Play Store?

It is starting to feel creepy.
How does the "People" section in the Play store make suggestions for people to follow?
I had another google account that I closed and it clearly was getting them from my contacts. It creeped me out a bit as I'm ridiculously cautious as to any type of web presence for work. I deleted that account, created a new one and have never put any contacts on my phone nor on the google servers. I use a third party contact app from Verizon that is in the cloud now. I have no Google+ account and don't even use gmail on that account, it is tied to a private email address.
Today I notice it is suggesting people I know from 20 years ago. People I went to high school with that I haven't spoken to in years. Not just one or two, but like ten. What are the odds??? I am assuming it is geographically based but would like to hear more. It's just odd to me. Thankfully it's no longer suggesting business associates, etc. because it no longer has access to that info on my new account.
Also, since I have no Google+ account and don't ever plan on creating one, does this mean that I do not show up to them or would I still show up? (Also, I do keep in contact with one of the 20 people I actually knew, and they use iPhone, not Android. So obviously it wasn't because they linked us from her contacts.)

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