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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

#761

Post by LtWorf »

storus wrote: post #491
segmondy wrote: post #472

Earlier quoted context omitted.

open source alternative, at first it's going to suck. but over time it will win. imagine how miserable we would be if all we had was windows and osx. but we have linux. we are now at such crossroads were the choice is android and apple, we need a free alternative. much sooner than most realize the threat to freedom from big corps, govt and others will be so big that we would wish to have a free mobile OS. mobile is n…

Not necessarily; coding agents might help to accelerate getting to Android/iOS feature parity much faster than what was the case with Linux.

They do not have the hardware specs in their training, which is what is missing.

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

#762

Post by KoolKat23 »

wswin wrote: post #387
tavavex wrote: post #271

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 us…

what's your solution to combat scammers?

Enable unknown sources in developer options, have the user type out in order to proceed "If I am typing this and don't know what I am doing, I am likely being scammed".

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

#763

Post by Daedren »

iqandjoke wrote: post #715
lelandfe wrote: post #497

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An actual example of this lives in the Gmail iOS app. Click a link in an email and every x days, a sheet appears: https://imgur.com/a/nlGS4Yk 1. Chrome 2. Google 3. Default browser app (w/unfamiliar generic logo) They removed the option for Safari some time in the last two years; here's how it looked in 2024: https://imgur.com/1iBVFfc And the cherry on top of dark UX patterns: an unchecked toggle rests at the bottom.…

If you use iPhone, you can use iOS Mail app (and with iCloud mail) if you really care. Apple dark UX pattern is that there always has badges on Settings app if you do not subscribe to iCloud even if you have manual backup. You cannot dismiss it.

They keep enshittifying the experience for those not using iCloud Mail. They just removed the feature to use alternate email aliases on non-iCloud accounts on iOS 26.

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

#764

Post by nesk_ »

branon wrote: post #447
lwkl wrote: post #418

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A minuscule amount of nerds being slightly annoyed is definitely worth when it hinders scammers from ruining a persons live.

There's no way this is really about scammers. I have never heard of scammers pushing sideloaded apps upon their victims in order to carry out their scams. Would welcome evidence to the contrary. Is this truly a threat model that's seen in the wild? My gut says no because social engineering is about hijacking legitimate, first-party processes. Scammers attack login credentials, MFA flows, and use first-party apps to m…

> I have never heard of scammers pushing sideloaded apps upon their victims in order to carry out their scams.

Maybe not scammers, but an abusive partner could sideload an application on your phone to spy on you. I've seen that before within my relatives.

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

#765

Post by pftburger »

lelandfe wrote: post #497
tavavex wrote: post #271

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 us…

An actual example of this lives in the Gmail iOS app. Click a link in an email and every x days, a sheet appears: https://imgur.com/a/nlGS4Yk 1. Chrome 2. Google 3. Default browser app (w/unfamiliar generic logo) They removed the option for Safari some time in the last two years; here's how it looked in 2024: https://imgur.com/1iBVFfc And the cherry on top of dark UX patterns: an unchecked toggle rests at the bottom.…

I love the irony that the Imgur link asks you to install the Imgur app first

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

#766

Post by sparky_z »

fluidcruft wrote: post #459
bityard wrote: post #268

Welp, I guess my current Android phone will be my last one. At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid. This enforced 24-hour wait is simply not acceptable. Android has always been a far inferior overall user experience compared to iPhone. Android's _only_ saving grace was that I could put my own third-party open-source apps on it. There is nothing left keeping me on Android now. I'll probably…

Good luck installing things from anywhere you want on an iPhone.

You're missing the point. I only use an Android because it lets me install whatever software I want. If that's no longer an option, then I'll pick based on other criteria, and then the iPhone beats the Android phone every time.

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

#768

Post by froddd »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #674
froddd wrote: post #671

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m in the UK and use the Gmail app, I don’t ever see this sheet. Is this US-only? I don’t see the sheet for imgur.com either because, well, they’ve blocked access completely for UK users. :shrug:

I see it in the UK.

The app settings offer a way to set default browser to the system default (which is what I have selected), as well as a toggle to “Ask me every time” — I have this turned off and never see the pop-up.

EDIT: also just tested turning this checkbox off. I then clicked a link in an email, got the pop-up, unchecked “ask me every time”, clicked default browser, and didn’t see the pop-up next time.

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

#770

Post by Markoff »

NicuCalcea wrote: post #555
rtkwe wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> - Must enable developer mode -- some apps (e.g., banking apps) will refuse to operate and such when developer mode is on, and so if you depend on such apps, I guess you just can't sideload? What apps are those? I've yet to run into any of my banking apps that refuse to run with developer mode enabled. I've seen a few that do that for rooted phones but that's a different story. I've been running android for a decade…

One of my banking apps didn't even run if I had accessibility settings turned on. I've since closed my account with them, just because of that. The amount of control we've given corporations over our computers is incredibly disappointing.

Was this in EU/US? This sure has to break some disability act to discriminate visually imparied in such way.
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