1y ago

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Warns Android Users Not to Sideload Apps

www.gizmochina.com /2023/11/18/google-ceo-warns-android-users/

77 comments

No definitely don't sideload a YouTube client that doesn't play ads!
- What color do you like? I like Gray.
  
  I like the red one with a pipe

That's rich when the Google Play store is full of malware while F-Droid is full of gems.
@technology
- Is there a good guide on f-droid and sideloading you recommend?
  If it is something that Google doesn't recommend then I should probably be doing it.
  
  All you have to do is download the APK from the F-Droid website and enable installing from third-party/unknown sources in the Settings app (some versions of Android ask automatically when you try to open the APK). I also recommend disabling unknown sources for your browser once you're done as a security measure.
  
  For F-Droid in specific, you'll need an F-Droid client. I use Droid-ify (GitHub) (F-Droid) (IzzyOnDroid), but you can use whichever you prefer. F-Droid is a good source for open source apps.
  If you're sideloading from different sources, Obtanium (GitHub) (IzzyOnDroid) is useful to download apps, and keep them updated. You can even kinda use it as an F-Droid client.
  Google is pretty lax on what it allows on Google play, so unless you're trying to avoid using Google services or you want to install apps that aren't on the play store, you don't need to do it.
  If you want adbocking and extra features in some apps (especially YouTube), check out ReVanced.
  Google isn't lying - there are risks to sideloading if you don't know what you're doing. Make sure what you're downloading is coming from legitimate sources you trust. For example, if you look up ReVanced, some unofficial websites show up which may have malware. Triple check everything is coming from an official source.
  
  Here is a link to detailed descriptions of the recommended apps from fdroid.
  Use whichever you like, but this is a good starting area:
  https://lemmy.world/post/108566
  https://alternativeto.net/list/28655/the-ultimate-f-droid-setup/
  
  I'm gonna suggest droidify . It's basically a good looking f-droid client.
  Just download the apk and install it.
  
  I'm gonna suggest droidify . It's basically a good looking f-droid client.
- This is the real truth. Man, the gall of that guy.
  Hi, we are a spyware company. Be aware. Don't load apps that don't meet our surveillance metrics. Only download our spyware. Thank you.
  Screw that guy. How about only sideload. There's another world out there, and it doesn't equate to surveillance capitalism.
- Google's ADS as a whole are malicious. Try Google drivers or TeamViewer and the first sponsored links are malicious/adware. It's absolutely shocking.
  I added ublock origin into my clients GPO to protect myself from viruses. Msoft just as bad if not worse since we are all using their products to be protected from.
- F-Droid changed my life
  
  It's awesome!

Honestly been steadily becoming less happy with the way Google/Android has been going even since Pichai took over.
- Enshittification.
  
  What makes you say that, specifically?

In court: “Google isn’t a monopoly because we allow sideloading!”
Outside of court: “Don’t sideload. It’s dangerous and terrible!”

Sideloading is one of the greatest things we have.
I'm so glad we have it. It almost feels like power and control from a bygone age.
Of course this guy whose net worth is >$100m will be telling us not to use it.
Fuck him.

I've tried downloading some of the games that are on the Play Store for my kids, and by God those apps are cancerous. An ad every 30 seconds and the games are made purely with getting the players to become addicted in mind. Get off your fucking high horse Pichai.
- Fun fact: You can sideload an adblocker that will legit block any ads in apps.
  It's called Blokada 5, and you have to download it from their website and sideload it because Google banned apps that use its functionality from the Play store.
  So satisfying never seeing ads in apps.
  
  Thanks for the tip!
- There are some games that are genuinely aimed at being educational and fun, such as the Duck Duck Goose games. Or Starfall (from the website of the same name).
  
  Oh yeah sure! The games from Baby Bus are alright, and there are some dino games which teach you programming. All very good, but as soon as an ad appears, 9 times out of 10 it's one of those crappy, slapped together in a day, Unity games filled to the brim with ads itself. Showing characters from popular franchises (like Marvel, and most likely not paid for), and my kid goes "dad, I want that one". Now I have Family Link installed so I have to allow everything he wants to download or pay for, but geez there's so much junk on there.
  I'd be sort of OK with the CEOs statement, if they did any sort of moderation on those predatory games aimed at kids. But alas.

I would say " well now I will", but I already do this
- Now I'm going to do it even harder!

Recently Android added another scary "malicious" warning to the already numerous scary dialogs if one tries to install F-Droid. The "Install anyways" button also became hidden in the "More details" menu.
- It's not just F-Droid, it's any app.
- This has been the final straw for me to fully de-google my life.
  F you Google, Play, etc.
  Currently setting up my next phone with no googlage.

Basically everything outside fdroid is riddled with trackers and ads so no, thanks
- Funny how search engine giant Google doesn't implement a filter for "no ads, no in-app purchases."
  People might actually be able to find what they're looking for instead of what google wants them to find.

aka "Please only ever buy things off the Google Play store"

If neither Google nor Apple took such a massive rake on the payments, fewer people would take issue with the main app distribution implementations. They have valid reasons for trying to keep you in their ecosystem, but those are severely undercut by taking such a huge percentage.
- What is it, 30%? That's pretty standard.
  
  Standard? They're the only two players, if they both took 99% it would be standard

stfu pichai

I do what I want. I'm eating Mac and cheese and nobody can stop me!
- Hope it has bacon.
  
  Dude, just today I made 10 lbs of spicy bacon mac and cheese. This shit is so lit it gives the sun a run for it's money.
  
  Only my baked Mac n cheese has bacon. The stove top stuff doesn't but it does have panko.

Ironically, I see articles every month telling android users to uninstall a slew of shit malware apps that were on the play store. Thanks Pichai, but I'll take my chances with more reputable sources.
- Scan them with play protect, it's an amazing piece of development that makes me feel truly safe in what I install on Google's device they have lended me.

Yes, don't sideload apps. It takes opportunity from us to spy on your usage patterns and enforce ads.
Edit: Oooh, also ignore this other report that we take 70% of your money
- That doesn’t say they take 70% of our money. It means that Google spends only 30% of what they take in on the store on operating it, which is very different.
  
  That guy's got Liz-Truss-level understanding of economics

You know what I think I'm going to side load even harder

So they argue that they want to protect users... from epic games? Like they are going to make a virus filled app? I kinda agree people need to be protected from fortnite, but its kind if a silly disingenuous argument.
- protected from fortnite
  We got a number one Victory Royale
  Yeah, Fortnite, we 'bout to get down (get down)
  
  Yeah, this is what I'm talking about.

I don't have the Play Store on my phone. F-Droid (Droidify), Aurora Store, Obtanium, and Accrescent.

AOSP is open source. Better STFU, Sundar.

sundar shut the fuck up

I really can't wait until we have a Linux-Mobile OS which supports android apps rather than having an entire fucking operating system running on java.
Running your OS on java is like building your house on quicksand.
- Java is only the languages some apps are programmed in. There is no JVM in android. And no, the OS does not run on Java.
- Both GNOME & KDE already have builds you can do this with. E.g. Mobian, which uses a lot of the work Purism has done with PureOS, is working to make even default Debian work. You can install Android apps with Waydroid, and install it on Android devices like Pixel, OnePlus, in addition to Linux native devices.
  
  It's really not consumer ready though, I've tried desperately to use OnePlus and like devices as daily drivers but it's just not there yet sadly. The more people that try tho the better off we will be

Fuck up Pichai

That article is... very confusingly written. Anybody got another source with a direct, full quote?

So does the OS. It’s done that from the beginning, but it doesn’t prevent it outright. Who gives a shit?

I've became used to enabling the play store only when I want to update or install certain specific app. I just leave the play store disable, so I don't get updates for each an every app that I might not even use.
I just wish there was a way to do this without having to browse the apps menu and find the play store each time.
- Aurora Store?
  
  This is great, thank you!
- Try something like 3C Toolbox or QuickShortcut Maker.
  3C can do this for sure, though you may have to pay for pro to create custom shortcuts

Everyday User Bearofatime warns Prickchai he should lick ma balls.

77 comments