Nextcloud, the self-hosted cloud platform, is on a mission to empower users to “Regain control over your data.” With a suite of offerings that includes video conferencing, file storage, and collaborative editing, it positions itself as a robust alternative to Google Workspace. However, the journey to becoming a complete replacement has encountered significant hurdles, particularly on the Android front.
Challenges with File Uploads
Since mid-2024, Nextcloud has faced a critical limitation: its Android app can only upload media files, a restriction imposed by Google. This development has left users frustrated, as they are unable to upload and sync various other file types. In a blog post dated May 13, the Nextcloud team expressed their discontent, stating, “To make it crystal clear: All of you as users have a worse Nextcloud Files client because Google wanted that.” They acknowledged the users’ frustration while emphasizing their inability to effect change in this situation.
Credit: Nextcloud
In response to inquiries about the situation, Ars Technica reached out to Google for comment and is awaiting a response. Meanwhile, a representative from Nextcloud confirmed there are no updates regarding the Android app’s capabilities.
Nextcloud asserts that it has maintained read and write access to all file types since the launch of its first Android app. However, in September 2024, an update that would have restored “All files access” was unexpectedly denied. The company claims that Google suggested users opt for “a more privacy-aware replacement,” which has only added to the confusion and discontent among its user base. Despite providing detailed background and explanations, Nextcloud reports receiving only generic responses from Google, often consisting of “the same copy-and-paste answers or links to documentation.”
