Rant - Google is making it difficult for me to go back to android

[sd4f]

I haven't gotten an android phone yet, but something which I'm pretty much going to do soon. So I had an android phone back in the end of 2011 and through 2012. It sucked a lot (SGS1) due to bugs, and everything about it made me look elsewhere. So I did, and that is why I jumped on to windows phone.

Now my android account has remained dormant. I thought I'd give it a go and log in just to blow out a few cobwebs.

I still remember the gmail account and password, but then google asks me to verify that I am truly the owner, with a question about what's my favourite food. I try a few but none are working. :unhappysweat:

Basically this is now preventing me from accessing an account with a few purchased apps, because google isn't happy enough with a user name and a password alone. There is no customer support to contact. Help forums are volunteers only (why anyone would volunteer to do customer service for one of the largest companies in the world, I'll never know) who probably can't do anything, and I can't make a comment, becaus

Basically google's suggestion is; start a new account...

Like sure, a lot of people would say meh, It's bothering me a lot more than it should, but I find this absolutely ridiculous that you can just get locked out of your content, because google isn't satisfied that you, are you...

I can't imagine that a bank would ever be permitted to behave in this manner, as there always is some method of satisfying their requirements. Whereas in this situation, I don't even know if I'm giving the incorrect answer. Their documentation suggests that the algorithm could still lock you out, even if you get it right, because it relies on using past devices, location, all of which in my case are long gone as I've relocated to a different country, and it was quite a while back.

 

[ven07]

I had a similar situation once. I chose to just get a new account, but I understand your frustration. I think you have the option to add a second account as backup. Did you do that? If you did, you can just try to change the password and it will ask you to fill in the blanks for the backup address.

At first they'll give you the option to get a security number via text, followed by what year you made the account and eventually you'll get to the second account you added. Just keep persistently choosing a different verification method until you have it

 

[sd4f]

I've made some progress. It appears that the change in geographic location is the main cause.

I got a relative to try to login, hoping my old phone number could help. Looks like even that wasn't necessary as the relative could just login.

With that done, they adjusted a few security settings, but still, I'm having difficulty. Even with my email added as a recovery email, google still says that they can't verify.

In any case, it'll just be a matter of getting some settings right, the account is not lost and can be accessed. That's all that matters to me at the moment.

But with that said, the only purpose for this account is android and play store. With this kind of experience, no way I'm going move over to any other google offerings.

Did a calculation on the replacement cost of all the apps, and it's $65, now I didn't pay anywhere near that (around $7.50 actually) but still goes to show, worth trying to rescue.

 

[ven07]

I've made some progress. It appears that the change in geographic location is the main cause.

I got a relative to try to login, hoping my old phone number could help. Looks like even that wasn't necessary as the relative could just login.

With that done, they adjusted a few security settings, but still, I'm having difficulty. Even with my email added as a recovery email, google still says that they can't verify.

In any case, it'll just be a matter of getting some settings right, the account is not lost and can be accessed. That's all that matters to me at the moment.

But with that said, the only purpose for this account is android and play store. With this kind of experience, no way I'm going move over to any other google offerings.

Did a calculation on the replacement cost of all the apps, and it's $65, now I didn't pay anywhere near that (around $7.50 actually) but still goes to show, worth trying to rescue.

Interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that geo location would cause this much work! I understand the idea behind it, but if I can verify that it's me, I should be able to access MY account.

Keep us updated

 

[sd4f]

Interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that geo location would cause this much work! I understand the idea behind it, but if I can verify that it's me, I should be able to access MY account.

Keep us updated

I bought a nokia 8, and the only difficulty that I had was that the relative still had the account linked to their phone, meaning that when I was trying to log in, it requested a verification notification on that phone. Wasn't a big deal to coordinate and get it done.

So all good now. I have my account and a new phone.

Shame that I have to give up with WP though, it's one thing to be familiar with a platform and change, but I just think that android in general was an inferior approach to a mobile OS, but, the app store definitely isn't worse. Still like I remember, cluttered with junk, but all the apps I could want or need are there.

 

[sd4f]

Might as well keep on going here. Got a new annoying issue with android and it's media management.

Finding it really annoying that the stock photos app goes through every single folder to find photos and videos, and displays them in the gallery with no ability to stop certain folders from being displayed. Makes for an incredibly cluttered experience. WP seemed to have handled this very well. Additionally, each app that downloads a photo, now appears to get its own folder, with no option of being able to redirect it, furthermore a way of cluttering up the photo gallery.

When I first went to WP way back in 2013, it took some getting used to, but in general, user features were great and you could see that effort got put into making the experience relatively clean and effective. Android is just a mess to use, not enjoying it at all.