How is this going to be enforced if you are just downloading apks? It states they will enforce verification across sources outside of the play store. This doesn’t sound possible unless they just make stock android unable to side load
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Between this, Play Integrity API, and Google removing source code, they’re basically declaring war on the openness of their own platform.
Well I think we are such a small percentage of users that care that it probably does not matter in the grand scheme. I just got on android in 24’ when rcs started working because my large family network was always worried they would lose communication with me. Because you know the little green text bubble things don’t get pictures and stuff from non iOS… People have no clue and don’t care as long as the phone works to swipe on sorry videos
I didn’t think they would either but it sure seems like they suddenly do…
Why do we even call it “sideloading”? I can install whatever I want on desktop, even whatever OS, so why not my phone? It is my phone, right?
I do not call it side-loading. Two of my tablets don’t have any Google on it. The phone is running Play Services in a sandbox, as one of several options to get software.
I’m not really understanding. I buy a phone. Peter codes and app with foss tools and emails it to me. No copyright or anything bad like a to do app. I want to use said app on my purchased phone. Now Peter will have to show his license and stuff? I guess developers are criminals.
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That’s the thing, downloading from another source is not opposed to downloading from the official store. It’s the same thing - downloading an executable and installing it on your device - with a different UX and warning screens.
Classic corporate move: come in attractive (open, rootable, etc) and once the competition is gone slowly make it more profitable on the customers expense.
Don’t be evil, completely dominate several markets, be evil.
Classic Google move as well.
Doesn’t this clearly breach the DMA?
i do not like this, will third party ROMs be the only options going forward?
I recommend you look into them, no matter what happens.
Well it says next year. And a lot could happen between then and now. Some comments think they will run into anti trust issues trying this.
How is this going to be enforced if you are just downloading apks? It states they will enforce verification across sources outside of the play store. This doesn’t sound possible unless they just make stock android unable to side load
apks will have to be cryptographically signed through Google’s developer console, and this signature will be checked by the operating system at install time regardless of where you got the apk from. It’s like how windows has signed applications for smartscreen, except in this case all applications must be signed through Google, and in order to sign it, you have to let Google know where you live, and unsigned applications will simply be denied instead of just being presented with a warning.
Makes sense. Is Google play store just apk files as well? I thought there was some other special sauce with it as well besides just running spyware in the background. This all sounds like a good way to get full names for YouTube add less app makers…
You are likely thinking of google play protect, which does the same verification on their platform’s end (to try to remove bad actor developer accounts as soon as possible), and the local device end as well (to remove said developers apps if they are already installed on your device). But yes, at the base level, what arrives on your phone from the play store are just signed apk files. That’s why mirror sites like apkmirror or apkpure can do what they do, by extracting said apks after they have been released onto the play store.
That’s not quite all of it. It can also do diff updates (so you don’t have to download the whole apk), staged rollouts and different builds for different devices. And of course it provides APIs for license management, in app purchases, update notifications, etc. All of this could be achieved by using other services (like F-Droid) or custom build websites, but the convenience for the everyday user isn’t quite the same.
Thanks for the explanation. So essentially custom roms with Google play services removed will actually be needed to download to he good apps like new pipe and the like
It can be disabled, right? Right?
Yes. It’s called custom ROMs.
yes and no, unfortunately i need to use banking apps and the product managers who are giving the instructions for the app are complete assholes who put the most draconian detection systems
they want to identify them, and issue cease and desist, or buy them out, thats the real reason, and to acquire thier OS to lock down android even harder
Maybe time to think of Huawei and remove Google from the mix at least there I can side-load.
Huawei no longer builds HarmonyOS on top of Android code, meaning APK files no longer install. It is a closed system, possibly the worst of all three considering its small, localised market share.
Guess that sucks then. So basically Android is going to become a Google walled garden.
Except that they are so hostile to open source and custom roms.
I always check if they are an option since the phone is guaranteed to be free from google garbage on boot and I’m always disappointed.
They could be the go to for everyone who hates google but they just shot themselves in the food instead.
Tldr: if the device has google play services it will prevent u installing any app that doesn’t have a developer who has handed their real identity over to google.
Would it be possible to adb force remove them and then no longer have a “certified” device?
Most Roms these days allow disabling the google play store, you don’t even need root to do it. Since enforcement will likely use the same tech as Play Protect (but without consent settings) disabling Play Store, and possibly GMS too will kill it outright.
They might implent changes in future Android versions to make this more difficult if not impossible though.
For the moment yes. How log that’s gonna last is definitely debatable.
They can’t go to far down this line, they’ll have antitrust issues. They’re a mature company doing what mature companies do and letting the middle (marketing) managers who couldn’t run a bath, run the company by focusing on cost reduction not earnings growth, and bury it.
We saw this with HP. Remember how we all used to buy HP printers for Linux? I still have my 1990s - please god - LaserJet and can still get toner.
