Eikon: Ancient Prayers App Abruptly Removed From Google Play Store
Google gave little explanation for the decision to remove the app
May 31, 2024—The developers of the Eikon Prayer App awoke yesterday to the news that their app had been removed from the Google Play Store, citing high risk behavior.
The email notes that their developer account had been terminated due to prior violations of the Developer Program Policies and Developer Distribution Agreement.
The Eikon App doesn't collect user data, nor does it ask the usual permissions to access personal data.
Speaking to UOJ-America, the developers said, "the only email we had received before [the termination—Ed.] was a congratulatory email from Google saying we were ranked #3 in the U.S. in our app category."
The app has been available on the Apple Store for just over a year. In that time, it has racked up over twelve thousand downloads, with nearly 50 five-star reviews. The long-awaited Android version launched less than a month ago, quickly soaring in the Books and Reference category in the US, Canada, and Australia.
"The app wasn't perfect. We were still working through [the app—Ed.] being a little laggy but were motivated to release the app before it was perfect because we've had users asking for an Android version for about a year now. We had not received any negative reviews except someone mentioning the lagging but always followed it with 'still love the app.'"
Eikon Prayer App is a family owned and operated start-up and is not affiliated with any particular jurisdiction or official ministry of the Church. The developers are currently working to appeal the decision and seeking alternative use options for Android users, should the appeal fail. They ask that users remember their efforts in their prayers and share the story with friends.
