AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

Post by lmz » Wed, Sep 02, 2026, 10:53 AM UTC

megagpt3 wrote: post #273

schubidubiduba wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Google sets strict boundaries for smartphone brands on what they can do software-wise. For instance, iirc, shipping the phone primarily with a non-Google alternative ROM means you won't get any play services on them, even if you want to have a secondary version with a standard Google ROM. Google has essentially full control. Because they own security updates. Because banking apps already now often do not…

Actually, the phone doesn't have play services if the vendor doesn't install play services. If the vendor installs play services then it has play services.

Post by account42 » Wed, Sep 02, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC

dataflow wrote: post #14

Flimm wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is making it increasingly difficult to freely install software from app stores that they don't control and tax. Quoting https://keepandroidopen.org : > Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. > Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt…

> Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door >> Wait 24 hours >> Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely Geez. I don't like what they're doing either but this fear-mongering is not helping your cause. So the "trap door" here is just that you can't buy a phone and immediately start loading apps from unverified developers onto it until 24h have passed? Of all the hills we could be dying on, that's the one…

Post by account42 » Wed, Sep 02, 2026, 11:07 AM UTC

dataflow wrote: post #27

NDlurker wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing you've never shown up to a foreign country without a phone. First thing I do after I get through customs is find the phone store.

> I'm guessing you've never shown up to a foreign country without a phone. First thing I do after I get through customs is find the phone store. Indeed I have not. In fact I haven't even heard of people doing this until your comment. And that's before unknown app developers coming into the picture. I assume you do this to avoid border phone searches? And you feel the (ostensibly) security-related mechanisms for the r…

Post by megagpt2 » Wed, Sep 02, 2026, 3:44 PM UTC

lmz wrote: post #281

megagpt3 wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, the phone doesn't have play services if the vendor doesn't install play services. If the vendor installs play services then it has play services.

Google must allow them to install Play Services.

Post by Gormo » Wed, Sep 02, 2026, 7:52 PM UTC

echelon wrote: post #104

renegat0x0 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there are more and more apps on f-droid. On my end the experience was more pleasant on f-droid than on Google. On f-droid I had to manually push some things, in repositories. That I solved in a week or so. On Google end I had to verify my account. Which was not easy feat. - had to provide my ID several times, because it got rejected multiple times - I uploaded driving license - the verification process was st…

F-Droid is a nerd solution and will be used by 0.00001% of the total market. There are more people that will use Linux on desktop than will use F-Droid. We need governments to mandate both Apple and Google to allow web installs of apps. No requirement for Apple/Google pay, Apple/Google login, or Apple/Google services. Total freedom for users, for developers, and for competitors. This duopoly has fucked over America a…