The ability to sideload on Android is the main reason I've never bought an iPhone. This is a terrible move from Google.
Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
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Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#832Wouldn't developers be the most powerful protesters?
Stop making or maintaining Android apps. Make apps warn users about upcoming changes and why they'll lose access to the apps they love. Decrease Google's ecosystem appeal. Money is king.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#833Guys, it's been over for a while now. And I mean decades... This is just one of the next steps in the path that's been laid out in front of us since the general population reached critical mass on the Internet and the ruling class (politicians, the media, corporations...) went all in on exploiting them for money and power. If we don't radically change the underpinnings of how the entire system works, we're in for much worse than this.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#834That's it! I'm out! Had every pixel from the beginning but I think I'm going Iphone so at least people will quit making fun of me.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#835Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…
> a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it.
I see where you're coming from, but companies like Google have local legal representation (e.g. in Ireland for the EU), and have to operate under EU rules if they want to do business here (just like how a EU business has to operate under US rules). If the EU says that you should be allowed to do your own thing - and they have - then Google can either comply or leave.
Don't attribute more power to companies than they have - they want you to believe they can get away with this, but don't echo their rhetoric.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#836So where do we complain? (Aside from shaming Google on social media or writing to politicians.) If I look through Google's contact links, it's all oriented around getting help with a problem rather than letting them know I'm going to move to something else if they go through with this. (And yes, even if Apple has the same types of restrictions on app store, if a more open alternative OS didn't work out for me, I'd mo…
Could complaint to the FTC or FCC.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#837Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…
The EU is planning to make Play Store de facto mandatory, so no more Graphene in the EU
https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/07/eu-age-verification...
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#838Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…
OpenHarmony is open source. There are also: Ubuntu Touch and Sailfish OS being developed. Actually I am writing this from Sailfish OS. I can login to my bank using a web browser here in the EU. I have Telegram, Signal clients, maps, sideloaded packages, full terminal - I fully control the phone, in contrast to Android. I don't own and don't need Android phone at all. So definitely more people should usealternatives t…
Ah yes, sailfish is actually pretty usable. (Unlike Ubuntu Touch, tbh).
I've used it in the past on my Nexus5 for some years.
However, they are still not 100% open source and they're too much into the AI-Hype as of recently (Mind2).
Also, I'd like to have more official ports. It's such a hassle to be dependent on that one guy who maintains that port for your device...
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#839Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…
> Android shouldn't be considered Open Source anymore That idea died for me long ago, I had used Android since 2009 till 2020. I gave up on the dream of a Linux phone. Ubuntu had a nice sleek Phone UI they were working on. The issue is if nobody builds the phones and no carrier cares, nobody will pick it up. You need to push yourself into the market. Microsoft could fill this weird gap if they wanted to the key thing…
I don’t even think Microsoft could. Google bullied them out last time with windows phone and the YouTube app debacle.
Until we have serious antitrust legislation against Google and Apple wielding their market power against any new entrants we are stuck with a duopoly.
At the very least, Google needs to lose Android, and probably YouTube as well.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#840Every day we stray farther from the premise that we should be allowed to install / modify software on the computers we own. Will once again re-up the concept of a “right to root access”, to prevent big corps from pulling this bs over and over again: https://medhir.com/blog/right-to-root-access
Tell that to all those assholes that are making malware and scamming society on billions. Most of users are not able to keep themselves safe in the internet - they want to install all kind of crap without thinking too much. All of this is companies making it possible that average Joe could just click links, install any kind of crap and still be somewhat secure.
Exactly this; the vast majority of people cannot be trusted with root access. And for those that can, the majority won't need or want it.
While I do believe root access should be possible, it shouldn't be easy. Because I'm confident my dad who wants to pirate F1 instead of pay for whichever overpriced premium streaming platform bought the rights this year would root his ipad and install a dodgy stream player if it was easy.