Google sucks

[time]

Okay, that's a bit non-specific. It's restrained considering the amount of time I wasted thanks to this sh*tty company and their half-assed software, not only today but many other days (and nights).

Specifically, Android Market appears to have had an on/off problem for at least two years, affecting countless users, that stops them downloading apps when connected via WiFi. There's never been any acknowledgement of the problem - let alone a solution. If WiFi is all you have, due to high 3G data costs or just plain poor reception, you should have bought an iPhone instead.

The problem appears to have become more prevalent recently, particularly with Gingerbread. Our new Galaxy II S hasn't been able to download via WiFi for the last couple of weeks. Today, we picked up a Nexus S (2.34) and right from the start it wouldn't work. I upgraded it to 2.36, factory reset, etc, etc etc - all to no avail.

Just to be clear, web browsing is fine, including the Market. Downloads just sit there indefinitely with no change in the progress bar.

Meanwhile, my Android 2.1 phone burbles along happily without a care in the world. So no, the firewall isn't blocking it.

The concept of an open mobile platform is great. Why the f*ck did the company have to be Google?

 

[Will Rickards]

Yeah sometimes the market downloads don't get started right.
I usually clear the cache of the market app and that fixes it temporarily.
But sometimes not and I have to cancel the downloads if the progress bar doesn't move and restart them.

 

[time]

Are you on 2.3?

I did all that and much more, but no download ever got past displaying the progress bar. It's completely broken.

 

[Will Rickards]

2.3.3 (HTC EVO 4G)
And I usually save my market updates till I'm home on the wifi (g if it matters).

 

[Mercutio]

I've not observed this issue. I have the same phone and carrier as Will. The only time I turn on 802.11 is when I need to do a site survey.

 

[ddrueding]

My i1 (1.5) doesn't have an issue, but it is a piece of crap anyway.

 

[time]

What version of the Market app do you guys have? I've noticed that this app automatically updates itself every time you run it - you can't stop it.

On my phone that works, it's still 2.something. That's also the factory default on the newer phones, but they're actually running 3.something (can't access the phones to get the exact versions right now). Could be a valuable clue.

 

[Will Rickards]

Market 2.3.4
Market Feedback Agent 2.3.3
Market Updater 1.0

 

[time]

Thanks. The affected phones are running version 3.1.5 of the Market app.

Some searching suggests it may be a DNS issue. I'll report back later.

 

[time]

SOLVED

Confirmed, it's a DNS problem with 3.1.5. It has mainly manifested as very slow operation. This thread discusses the solution, along with some querying of WTF Google has done here.

I didn't bother with OpenDNS - just changed the DHCP server to point directly to our ISP's DNS servers and everything worked as it should have in the first place.

It's interesting that performance has steadily declined (I remember my daughter looking for the WiFi antenna so she could place her phone right next to it) to the point where for us, it no longer worked at all (with 3.1.5).

 

[Clocker]

Never noticed the OP problem and I'm on WiFi almost all day via my work's connection.

CM7.1, Android 2.3.7, Market 3.1.5, HTC Droid Incredible.