14 DAY TRIAL // Good news for Android smartphone users in a rather exotic part of the world, namely Cuba, as Google has just opened up its Play Store to customers.
Unfortunately, Cuba is not really the best place to live, especially due to the embargo set in place by the rest of the world, with a few exceptions.
It’s nice that Google has thought about it and decided to allow Android smartphone users to download apps and games through its Play store. The bad news is that not many will be able to access it due to the lack of Internet infrastructure.
On top of that, Cuba suffers from heavy censorship and the Internet is no exception to this. So, while there may be some people with access to the Internet, they may not be allowed to access Google Play Store if the Cuban government decides against it.
Google only made the free apps and games available for download in Cuba, so those who want to purchase Android software through the Play Store will not be able to do so.
The reason Google hasn’t given Android users in Cuba permission to download any premium software is that the country is under embargo from the United States and lot of other countries.
With all the Internet censorship and lack of infrastructure, few will be able to access Google Play Store
This means that Google can’t sell any of its services in Cuba, but at least they can offer customers in this country, those that can access Play Store without being censored, the option to install lots of Android apps and games.
One thing that’s still unclear is whether or not these free apps and games will be allowed to display any advertising because that will mean that Google will monetize its Play Store, so we must assume it won’t.
Along with Play Store access, Google also introduced a completely free Google Analytics app that Android users in Cuba can now take advantage of. Here is Google's official announcement:
“In August, we launched Google Chrome in Cuba to help Internet users surf the web quickly and safely. Today, as part of our continued effort to make technology even more accessible there, we’re making free apps and games on Google Play, as well as the free version of Google Analystics, available in Cuba.”
Even though Android users in Cuba don’t have access to all apps and games in the Play Store, those that are accessible from this country are still a big portion of the software.
Here is hoping that Internet censorship in Cuba and other parts of the world will become things of the past sooner rather than later.
