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Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

arstechnica.com

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Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#271

Post by tavavex »

The part in the flow where you select between allowing app installs for 7 days or forever is a glimpse into the future. That toggle shows the thought process that's going on at Google.

I can bet that a few versions down the line, the "Not recommended" option of allowing installs indefinitely will become so not recommended that they'll remove it outright. Then shrink the 7 day window to 3 days or less. Or only give users one allowed attempt at installing an app, after which it's another 24 hour waiting period for you. Then ask the user to verify themselves as a developer if they want to install whatever they want. Whatever helps them turn people away from alternatives and shrink the odds of someone dislodging their monopoly, they will do. Anything to drive people to Google Play only.

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#272

Post by nolist_policy »

t_mahmood wrote: post #177
politelemon wrote: post #94

I'm not in agreement with most of you, hn. They've found a decent compromise that works for power users and the general population. Your status as a power user does not invalidate the need to help the more vulnerable. Having to wait a day for a one off isn't a big deal, if they kept it looser then you'd be shouting about the amount of scams that propagate on the platform.

Same with bootloader unlocking isn't it? Ah, its not much, just an email away ... oh, not much it's email and a phone call away ... Just wait 7 days ... no, it's just a month, and only one device par account? What's wrong with it? You are overreacting Wait! Why you want to unlock your boot loader, only 0.000001% does it. You are abnormal, not the mass user Fool me once it's on you Fool me twice ... it's on me. We are…

You can buy a Pixel instead of a Xiaomi.

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#273

Post by ls612 »

browningstreet wrote: post #192
nijave wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was always under the impression security was a red herring and the real reason was control. Google wants to own the device and rent it to users with revocable terms the same way SaaS subscription software works. Locking down what can run is a key step in that process

I worked at a bank on the backend for architecture and security.. and I've posted this attestation here before, but the sheer volume of fraud and fraud attempts in the whole network is astonishing. Our device fingerprinting and no-jailbreak-rules weren't even close to an attempt at control. It was defense, based on network volume and hard losses. Should we ever suffer a significant loss of customer identity data and/…

Do you allow customers to log in to their account with a web browser on a windows machine?

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#274

Post by grishka »

mystraline wrote: post #244
grishka wrote: post #87

At this point I'm convinced that there's something deeply wrong with how our society treats technology. Ruining Android for everyone to try to maybe help some rather technologically-hopeless groups of people is the wrong solution. It's unsustainable in the long run. Also, the last thing this world needs right now is even more centralization of power. Especially around yet another US company. People who are unwilling…

> At this point I'm convinced that there's something deeply wrong with how our society treats technology. The problem isnt with technology. The problem is with physical ownership versus copyright/trademark/patent ownership in abeyance of physical ownership. I go to a store and buy a device. I have a receipt showing a legal and good sale. This device isnt mine, even if a receipt says so. The software (and now theres A…

If you think about it for as long as I did, you will find that the moment everything went sideways is when general-purpose computing devices started having their initial bootloader in the mask ROM of the CPU/SoC. Outlaw just that, say, by requiring the first instruction the CPU executes to physically reside in a separate ROM/flash chip, and suddenly, everything is super hackable. But DMCA abolition would certainly be very helpful as well.

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#275

Post by widowlark »

drnick1 wrote: post #231
widowlark wrote: post #159

I switched to iOS in anticipation of this change. The reality is, if they are thinking about doing this, it's only a matter of time before they do it. If I have to choose between two walled gardens, apple will win every time.

Apple is just as bad, you should have switched to Graphene and retained the good aspects of Android without the parts that suck (Google).

I love and use graphene regularly on my pixel devices

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#276

Post by VladVladikoff »

grishka wrote: post #87

At this point I'm convinced that there's something deeply wrong with how our society treats technology. Ruining Android for everyone to try to maybe help some rather technologically-hopeless groups of people is the wrong solution. It's unsustainable in the long run. Also, the last thing this world needs right now is even more centralization of power. Especially around yet another US company. People who are unwilling…

>Ruining Android for everyone

Are they really though? does the average person really care about side loading? I think we are in an echo chamber. I can't picture any of the people in my life installing things from outside of an app store on their phone. However I realize that's purely anecdotal, it would be nice to see actual statistics on this to have a more informed decision.

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#277

Post by etiennebausson »

themacguffinman wrote: post #267
grishka wrote: post #87

At this point I'm convinced that there's something deeply wrong with how our society treats technology. Ruining Android for everyone to try to maybe help some rather technologically-hopeless groups of people is the wrong solution. It's unsustainable in the long run. Also, the last thing this world needs right now is even more centralization of power. Especially around yet another US company. People who are unwilling…

How is it unsustainable when iOS has enforced even stricter rules for its nearly 20 year lifespan?

There two main mobile OS in the space, one moron-proof but limited, the other a bit more permissive, but slightly less secure for it.

The problem is that most apps target only those two, and the second is trying to moron-proof, loosing most of it value to part of its users, while the apps are still locked in.

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#278

Post by grishka »

ceejayoz wrote: post #251
grishka wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you read my comment in full?

I have, and I have the same objection. Do you have a response to it other than “change society to 15 years ago”?

No, why should I? I'm not proposing to "change society to 15 years ago", my idea is more selective. It's more like "do a thorough review and restore all the mechanisms that made the use of smartphones and internet optional".

Re: Google details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps

#279

Post by ForHackernews »

> Install apps: Once you confirm you understand the risks, you’re all set to install apps from unverified developers, with the option of enabling for 7 days or indefinitely. For safety, you’ll still see a warning that the app is from an unverified developer, but you can just tap “Install Anyway.”

If you can enable this once, forever, after a 24 hour cooldown period I don't hate this as much as I hated some of the other proposals from Google. It'll just be something you do as part of the setup for a new phone.

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