AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

Post by rangerelf » Tue, Sep 01, 2026, 8:56 PM UTC

tremon wrote: post #205

ta8903 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>it's not that different from a deb or rpm repository The difference is that the default app stores require you to make an account to be able to use them. This would rightfully be considered insane on desktop OSs, yet is considered normal for phones.

Is it really that insane of itself? I don't see many people arguing that Valve is evil for requiring a Steam account to access their game library (ignoring the online activation/DRM question).

Post by dataflow » Tue, Sep 01, 2026, 9:10 PM UTC

brainwad wrote: post #202

dataflow wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree wholeheartedly, but you can already unlock and root your phone and install whatever you want. This is not that battle. Mind you, I don't like either of these, but they're very different in nature.

And if I want to run the stock OS I paid for, with apps of my choice? It feels like a bait and switch to lock down the OS like this after you've sold the device.

Post by pbhjpbhj » Tue, Sep 01, 2026, 9:22 PM UTC

gumby271 wrote: post #159

stavros wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ironically, Apple allows alternate app stores in the EU now, while Google is moving to disallow them everywhere.

I don't think Google is moving to disallow them, it's more that the EU said that it's fine for Apple to still own app notarization / developer verification even outside of Apple's app store. Google saw this and said, cool, we'll add that to Android too so we can also get our (undeserved) cut outside of the Play Store. I can install F-Droid or anything else, but if they dont submit papers to Google, I get a big scary…

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Sep 01, 2026, 9:28 PM UTC

brainwad wrote: post #7

amiga386 wrote: post #6

Not Google's first rodeo. They pulled the same move in 2019: https://www.phoronix.com/news/WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store This is why software should not be subjected to an "app store" type distribution system, where a monopolist retains absolute control of what software can run on your devices, and can capriciously deny distribution to developers for whatever reason it likes.

You can install from other stores (AnkiDroid is on F-Droid, for example), or from direct file download on Android already. The problem is rather thay most users just use the store preinstalled on their phone as part of Google's deal with OEMs to bundle Google Play Services. So either you follow Google's rules, or you lose all the users who don't want to leave the walled garden, even though they can.

Post by jmusall » Tue, Sep 01, 2026, 9:41 PM UTC

charcircuit wrote: post #229

neves wrote: post #94

Digital infrastructure became so important that it must be regulated. We can't leave app stores at the whim of mega corporations.

Just because Google built something valuable that doesn't mean the government should take control of it. This line of reasoning also leads to the government taking over YouTube and changing the rules there due to how "important" it is.