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Could you apply to become a Cloud media provider for Android?

Not sure if this fits to the "Integrations" Category, but yeah, change it if you feel like it's wrong.

https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/photopicker

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/cloud-media-provider

While uploading a photo to an app, photo picker interface opens. This interface (from what I can see, this looks like a new feature of Android) allows user to pick a photo from their Android device and lets user to do his action.

Anyway, I met with this recently and there is an option to select the photo from a cloud media provider; where I expected to see Dropbox among the cloud service provider options, but Dropbox wasn't there.

Seems like you guys have to apply to be shown as cloud service provider to Android, and seems like application can be done from this form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MGECQc2N-UnYFF5DIxeRq7AjrJ9bh_3KmoWsK8dq9ZM/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&edit_requested=true

So yeah, please apply, so that I can pick my photos from my Dropbox account with this interface, so that I can upload them, or send them or whatever action I wanna do.

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Comments

Jay

Hi @eakkus, thanks for messaging the Community!

Thanks for this information, could you clarify how it would appear on your device?

Do you have an example with another cloud provider for us to see?

This will help me to assist further!

eakkus

Hi Jay,

So in order to tell explain this properly, I'll explain the whole story with unnecessary details.

I use an Android App, called Nebo. I use this app for studying. I upload the screenshots that I took from my PC, which are saved and sync with the help of Dropbox, and then take notes on those screenshots.

So this used to work properly because, developers of Nebo used to use "Document provider" interface once the user was about to select a photo.

-> Document provider interface:

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/document-provider

And now, they changed it. Now they use photo picker interface, which seems to be only available in Android 11 (API level 30) or higher.

-> Photo Picker:

https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/photopicker

I guess I can't upload screenshots, so, I'll use the gif from developer android web site:

Edit:!! I can't use the address of the gif. Forum does not allow me. Please check the gif on photo picker web site above.

Please pay attention to the three dots sign where user picking photos in that gif.

Clicking to the three dots sign (on top right corner) provides user this option, called "Cloud media app".

Clicking that option opens a new page.

----------------------

That new page

---------------------

Title:

"Cloud media app"

Content:

"Access your cloud media when an app or website asks you to select photos or videos"

"Access cloud media from"

"None"

----------------------

I see this page, with no options because there is no cloud provider yet that applied to Android I suppose.

I hope these informations are enough. If not, let me know.

eakkus

Hi @Jay

It's been more than a month, can you inform me about any recent development, whether you decided to be a part of this or not or something else?

BenDBX

Hi @eakkus,

Thanks for following up. I have brought this to some of the members of our Android team. I don't have any updates to share right now, but I'll be certain to keep you posted if and when that changes!

Regards,

Ben

eakkus

Hey @BenDBX & @Jay

Is there any changes / developments regarding the issue?

Maybe there is a way to manually register Dropbox to that specific menu (mentioned above) from our side but we're not aware of it? Do you have any info at all?

Mark

@eakkus wrote:
Hey @BenDBX & @Jay

Is there any changes / developments regarding the issue?

Knowing Dropbox they wont release any information until its ready to go and or happened - if they ever decide to do it.... of which of course there is no requirement to do so - this is the first time I've ever seen anything like this even requested.

Dropbox are very closed lipped on future plans (think Paper 2020 release which still is ongoing.....!) as they often miss deadlines etc.

eakkus

@Mark

I agree it sounds a tiny little bit weird to ask about Dropbox's "future dev plans" 🙂 , but this is also what press / media does, right? You seeing this sort of approach first time doesn't mean it's completely absurd or unacceptable. We - users - media (or whatever) ask questions, you answer, that's why there is this forum, don't marginalize this like "I've never seen such a thing like this", that is not the way how you should be doing your job.

All I wanted to know if Dropbox had an intention or even if it is possible for Dropbox to take part in this cloud media thing, because I wanted to use a functionality of this photo picker thing, since it'd increase how I work. So, if users like me also explore usage of this kind of thing, you may gain new users, right? Meaning Dropbox earning more money, right? Weird that I had to explain this like this, like I'm explaining it to 6 years old kid.

Mark

No I get why people do it - no need to be rude and patronising about it. I'm also not an employee - I'm justs somebody who has been around here since Dropbox was in beta.

However, what I'm saying was more a heads up of dont be offended if the thread is just closed or ignored. Dropbox dont release plans. They almost certainly wont say if they have an intention to take part. They will announce it if and when a beta comes along.

eakkus

Ah, sorry then @Mark . I thought you were employed by Dropbox.

I wasn't patronizing btw, just I couldn't understand a reply like yours telling "I have never seen such a thing like this" coming from a community manager or relevent titled employee; which is not the case here. Thanks for the heads up. I was just trying to have Dropbox do something about this issue, make people aware existance of such thing. If more users demand this, I might have better chance seeing this feature in close feature, perhaps.

Mark

@eakkus wrote:
If more users demand this, I might have better chance seeing this feature in close feature, perhaps.

And thats exactly my point - at the moment its not something I've ever seen. You need to bang the drums and get people to come here and agree they want it (ideally on this thread) or it will just sink. There are threads on here with thousands of upvotes and requests which havent been actioned so one with only one person asking about is very, very unlikely. Hence the headsup.