Google Play & App Store rule the app industry as two favorable platforms for app distribution. In exchange for visibility to a greater audience, they charge a commission. An app developer can be kicked out any day for flouting store policies, which is exactly what happened with The OG App. This app offered a personalized experience, and some say even better than Instagram.
But Google kicked the app out of the Play Store after Apple took a similar action on the OG App on App Store. Meta is also planning to hold the app developers open for policy violations.
The OG App: What went wrong?
The OG App is designed by Un1feed, a development company run by two people. The initial inspiration for the app was the cluttered, ad-intensive approach of Instagram. They began studying the API for Instagram and molded it to offer a customizable, ad-free Instagram experience to users. Other noteworthy features include the ability to turn off the reach receipts for DMs, curate personalized feeds, and more.
The OG App came into highlight when some users started facing unauthorized login warnings from Instagram. Every Instagram user who has 2FA active started receiving these warnings and took to Twitter to ask about the issue. The developers explained that the app was reverse-engineered in a way that it would show up as an Android device when you log in. They even asked users to check their Login Activity to clarify any doubts. But it wasn’t enough to pacify anguished users.
There are countless Reddit, Instagram, and other app clients available. Even TechCrunch endorsed The OG App on Twitter for being a decent Instagram client. But that will only harm the revenue and advertising model of Instagram. They cannot make money if users start to block ads using these Instagram clients. Had it been an official Instagram client, it would never have the ad-blocking and other user-friendly feature sets.
All developers are at the mercy of the app distribution platforms to make a living. It is sad to see the OG App bite the dust. You can still sideload it on Android but compromising your security for customization isn’t what we would recommend.
