The 10 years part is not quite accurate.
Play store used to have fantastic organic discovery that gradually started deteriorating some 7 or 8 years ago until it reached the current state where everything is an ad of some sort.
AppStore never had discovery this good, but relied on being heavily curated for quality instead.
I do feel play store is in a much worse state still. The curating is barely there and the algorithms had user interests (our at least my interests) optimised out of them.
The fact that it used to work so well is insulting in a way. It's like when android took out the process manager.
There is a beautifully simple game with a very inclusive and fun concept. But everytime I want to play it I have to scroll through my installation history
If you search for the title word for word, you will never find it. If you search for the description word for word you will never find it. It is so deeply buried under a mountain of garbage that I sometimes wonder what other gems the play store keeps from seeing the light of day.
AppStore never had discovery this good, but relied on being heavily curated for quality instead.
I do feel play store is in a much worse state still. The curating is barely there and the algorithms had user interests (our at least my interests) optimised out of them.
The fact that it used to work so well is insulting in a way. It's like when android took out the process manager.
Edit: formatting