Yes, Google Play does allow you to build free apps without ads. I put them in as a little experiment; I'd never made a mobile app before so I wanted to try things out.

As an added bonus it also enabled me to gain back some of the costs I made developing XWC (website template, domain & hosting, iOS developer account, lots of spare time, etc.)

Okay - let's not play patty-cakes about this:

You put in the ads to make some money. The 'little experiment' was, "How much money could this app make back with these ads?" (that said, I'm not judging here - fair enough that you would like to recover costs and/or derive a profit from the work you put into the app).

This is why Disney felt confident delivering a C&D to you and not, say, to Mu0n regarding his Vassal module - once you attach a source of revenue, you're no longer protected by fair use. It's the most concrete part of fair use law: it only applies to not-for-profit endeavors. Without the ad revenue, it would come down to a question of whether or not you could successfully defend the app's educational value in court, and Disney is quite unlikely to want to risk that sort of entanglement (which is why i don't think anyone else running the various ad free list builders should be sweating it).

It's not unreasonable for Disney to protect the brand and ask unaffiliated sites to remove trademark protected property. It's easy to avoid as you just need to look for the ™ next to the protected brand. You can check to see if a phrase of words is protected here: http://www.uspto.gov at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

FFG, I'm sure is exploring the idea of a similar app. They've already dropped hints to the Tournament software. FFG has also been storing up X-Wing™ news for some time.

The X-wing companion app does have the TM. Sure it is small and barley noticeable on my android device, but it is there.

I wish that they would announce an app before taking working ones down. I would purchase one or even a product to get a discount on an app if it were available. And yes Disney should and will protect their trademark to keep it from becoming public domain because it still retains so much commercial interest.

Still I think jumping the gun first by removing all sites before they have even announced an official replacement is not helping them retain profits. IMHO they should have announced the app before delivering the cease and desist orders which should go into effect shortly before the launch.

Sure what Disney has done is not legal, quite the contrary it is perfectly legal and Disney has every right, but just because something is legal doesn't mean that it is smart.

I thought I had heard that it was still availble for android, just not from google play. (downloadable from a 3rd party site maybe?)

Must just be apple.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.guidokessels.xwc&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dx+wing+companion&pcampaignid=APPU_1_0DQvVZLYDtK0sASjiYDgAw

Maybe since I already had it before the blocking I can get to it and update.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.guidokessels.xwc&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dx+wing+companion&pcampaignid=APPU_1_0DQvVZLYDtK0sASjiYDgAw

Maybe since I already had it before the blocking I can get to it and update.

Yeah it is still on the website. But still if the Cease and Desists order has been sent out then it doesn't matter. Any new spoiler just like the ones from wave 7 cannot be placed in or risk legal action.

Yet with all these Star War announcements then where is the OFFICIAL Squad Builder / Ship Stat / Expansion pack APP!?!?!

Still Disney has lost no money from this.