2d ago

Supreme Court deals Google a blow, forces major Play Store overhaul

www.androidpolice.com

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Seems that google's announced plans to restrict sideloading on Android are now in direct conflict with the Supreme Court's order to open the Play Store to alternative app stores and reduce its control over app distribution.
How will this play out in the end... 🤔
- Don't call it "sideloading" it's a negative term attempting to rebrand installing any app you want: taboo and illegal by effect. Call it what it is, installing apps. Thats it.
  
  I like this way of thinking right here.
- with a $500m check made out directly to the commander in sleep
  
  No, that's illegal. They'll make it out to the Trump Presidential Library
- To be clear, it's not the Supreme Court's order, they only declined the appeal or to issue a stay, so technically it is a "regular" court order, which is just as binding.
- Not at all, they can still require apps to be signed, so long as you're free to allow app installations. They'll weasel out by saying the signing is for safety/security reasons, to avoid malware and shit.
  
  Right and then they might well lose the next antitrust suit for weaseling around. Judges know what this kind of behavior means, though who can say how they'll react.
  The timing is too perfect, the effects are too apparent.
  
  So this means they'll take responsibility for malware and offer support, right? Right?
  
  So one dev can sign off on f-droid and then we're fine as long as we use that in stead of the play store?
- I was wondering if these 2 things will be somehow connected 🤔
Google warns of security risks
lol. if they actually kept all the bad shit out of the play store, they might have a valid argument.
- To be fair, more stuff gets through the apple app store.
  This said, fuck Google.
  
  The Apple App Store is a cesspool. Has been for years. It’s just pushing short-term games with gobs of micro transactions by the hundreds. That’s almost all you see. Tons and tons of it.
- They are the security risks
Fuck Google. It is turning Android into dumb platform, which is tightly controlled by them piece by piece. From restricting different APIs (accessibility for example) to Play Integrity checks and recently developer identification even for stupid APKs. Fuck Google, I hope they keep being put in place.
- I hope an alternative open platform emerges and google android goes poof. It would serve as a warning to others.
  
  I don't understand why it appears to be so hard for Linux to go mobile. Can anyone explain what the main hurdles are?
  Presumably, it shouldn't be too hard to get apks working, right?
  Similarly to what valve is doing for Linux gaming could happen for mobile Linux no? Not sure which incentives exist for a company to go that course though..
  
  Honestly, that is quite unrealistic, is it?
What does this mean for Apple then? Will someone open a case against Apple arguing unlawful practices? Man I hope so.
Does this undermine Googles plans to block side loading?
- Well, if i can download a F-droid app via Playstore... then i'm basically not "sideloading" anything. This could be interesting!
  But the whole (paid) 'verification' thing still is troubling tho. And we know Google; they are good at breaking things one way or another.
  
  A lot of apk devs of nice little unique and often free apks are made by people who aren't going to want to hand over there identification and private info to Google in order to be verified.
  
  My thoughts exactly. That could be very comfy for us users, but many devs will be (and justifiably so) wary of verifying themselves.
  
  If I understand well, even if you were able to install F-droid through the store (which you can't because Google doesn't like it), you won't be able to install apps with F-droid anyway if they implement this.

40 comments