Nextcloud Accuses Google of Play Store App Rejection

Table of contents

Detailed Summary

Nextcloud’s recent public complaint against Google highlights growing tensions over platform governance and app interoperability. In May 2025, Nextcloud accused Google of deliberately crippling its Android Files app on the Google Play Store by revoking its longstanding “All files access” permission—a privilege Nextcloud says it has held since 2016 without prior security concerns. This change, enacted in 2024, forced the company to rely solely on Google’s scoped-storage alternatives (the Storage Access Framework and MediaStore API), which Nextcloud argues cannot support full file‐sync functionality. Despite multiple appeals and detailed explanations, Google refused to reinstate the broader permission, leaving the Play Store edition of the app functionally crippled while a fully featured build remains available on F-Droid. The dispute not only affects over 800,000 Nextcloud Android users but also feeds into broader debates on Big Tech gatekeeping, platform control, and the balance between user privacy and interoperability.

Background: Nextcloud Android Files App and Permission Change

Nextcloud’s Android Files app is a file synchronization tool that enables users to read and write all file types stored on their device through the “All files access” permission. According to Nextcloud, this permission has been in place since the app’s 2016 release, and Google never raised security concerns until 2024, when the Play Store review process abruptly revoked it. The Register reports that this action effectively cripples uploads of non-media files, substantially degrading core functionality for Nextcloud’s 824,000 users.

Technical Impacts: Scoped Storage vs. All Files Access

Google’s scoped-storage model, introduced in Android 11, restricts app access to only media files (via MediaStore) or user-selected directories (via the Storage Access Framework) to enhance privacy and security. However, Nextcloud asserts that neither the MediaStore API—limited to photos, videos, and audio—nor SAF—which is designed for explicit content sharing between apps—can replicate full file system synchronization. This gap means users can no longer auto-upload documents, archives, or other non-media files through the Play Store version.

Nextcloud’s Response and Appeals

Nextcloud says it has appealed repeatedly since mid-2024, providing detailed justifications and technical background to Google reviewers. Instead of engaging substantively, Google’s responses were largely copy-and-pasted segments from its developer guide, refusing to reinstate the “All files access” permission for the Play Store app. Frustrated, Nextcloud published an open letter on its own blog to explain the issue directly to users and the broader community.

Google’s Position and Ecosystem Policies

According to Google’s developer documentation, declaring All files access while targeting Android 11 or higher “can affect your ability to publish and update your app on Google Play”. Google frames the policy as a security measure designed to limit broad file system permissions in favor of more granular, user-mediated access. The fine print warns developers that non-compliance may risk app approval, a stance that has now ensnared Nextcloud’s core functionality.

Community and Developer Reactions

Coverage on Slashdot emphasizes that revoking the permission “cripples functionality for its 824,000 users” and forces reliance on limited alternatives like SAF and MediaStore. On Hacker News, some developers argue that Android’s scoped storage gives users more control, urging Nextcloud to adapt its code, while others counter that Google’s policy unfairly disadvantages third-party sync providers.

Implications for Competition and Big Tech Gatekeeping

Nextcloud frames the dispute as part of a broader pattern of “gatekeeping,” where dominant platform owners impose rules that disadvantage competitors. The company likens the scenario to past examples—such as Microsoft’s treatment of non-Microsoft office suites—to argue that Google is leveraging its Play Store monopoly to suppress alternative cloud-storage solutions.

Alternative Distribution via F-Droid and User Options

While the Play Store build remains restricted, Nextcloud continues to publish an unrestricted version of its Files app on F-Droid, an alternative Android app repository. However, requiring users to switch to F-Droid adds friction for the roughly one million users who initially installed via Google Play, and may deter less-technical users from maintaining full file-sync capabilities.

Conclusion

The Nextcloud vs. Google Play Store dispute underscores the tension between platform security policies and open-source interoperability. As cloud-storage providers increasingly rely on mobile apps for seamless user experiences, restrictions on critical permissions risk hampering innovation and competition. Whether Google will reconsider its stance in light of mounting developer and community pressure remains to be seen—what is clear is that this incident has amplified calls for more transparent, collaborative review processes in major app ecosystems.