Google bears huge responsibility for the decline in ethics here. They enabled this very explicitly via features on the App Store for Android.
- There's no way to filter ad-free apps, and the app store is loaded with ad-ridden apps. I am totally willing to pay, but it's not easy any more to find ad-free, paid apps.
- One time payment is mostly dead. I'd have loved it, even if it was a heftier initial amount. Instead we have in-app purchases and subscriptions. The problem with subscriptions is that now you've to get the user hooked on like with a drug, or they'll stop paying. Hence a lot of engineering is devoted to manipulating the user.
As more apps went down this path, expectations were lowered, and developers slowly embraced shady practices for more "engagement".
- There's no way to filter ad-free apps, and the app store is loaded with ad-ridden apps. I am totally willing to pay, but it's not easy any more to find ad-free, paid apps.
- One time payment is mostly dead. I'd have loved it, even if it was a heftier initial amount. Instead we have in-app purchases and subscriptions. The problem with subscriptions is that now you've to get the user hooked on like with a drug, or they'll stop paying. Hence a lot of engineering is devoted to manipulating the user.
As more apps went down this path, expectations were lowered, and developers slowly embraced shady practices for more "engagement".