3w ago

Nextcloud cries foul over Google Play Store app rejection

go.theregister.com

cross-posted from: https://lazysoci.al/post/26355008

Technology @lemmy.world

Pro @programming.dev

3w ago

Nextcloud cries foul over Google Play Store app rejection

go.theregister.com /feed/www.theregister.com/2025/05/13/nextcloud_play_store_complaint/

nextcloud @lemmy.ml

sabreW4K3 @lazysoci.al

3w ago

Nextcloud cries foul over Google Play Store app rejection

go.theregister.com /feed/www.theregister.com/2025/05/13/nextcloud_play_store_complaint/

44 comments

I try to avoid the play store at this point. I even switched Tasker from the Play store version to the standalone non-google APK from João himself (Patreon-exclusive; or you can email him for a license, it's like $4).
Any time I implement an open-source project that offers an Android app, I immediately search their github/gitlab or F-Droid. I don't even try to look on the play store anymore. Too much tracking bullshit.
- If you haven't, take a look at "Obtanium". It searches F-droid, github, gitlab, and a few other sources for android releases of open source projects.
  
  It searches? I have to give it a link to the repo on github.
  
  F-droid is better as it is an actual app store with actual rules. You can still add external repos but ideally you should use main.
  
  Oof, there's a reason you use an app store. Dont download shit direct from the internet. Thats how you get malware
- Ok so I have a question: I have a few apps that I have the apk but when I run them, or even if I install from Aurora Shop, when I run them they say I need to install it from Play. Then they exit.
  How do I work around this? I have been told it can be circumvented but I haven’t got a handle on how.
  Thanks if you can advise.
  
  That's a really good question for which I do not have an answer.
- The layout of the playstore sucks now, and the ads in apps have got worse.
  Fdroid looks bad and has terrible sarch though to be fair.
  
  I'm less concerned with F-Droid's UI, I've been using it for well over a decade now and am fairly used to it, but I absolutely get the frustration. The recent UI update is an improvement, though.
  Play Store's UI is absolutely atrocious. The ad-ridden garbage is why I just stay away from it as much as possible.

Seems google is trying to keep file sync on android for only themselves.
Syncthing no longer developing for Android.
No resolution from back and forth with Google, play store policies and lack of developers.

While a fully functional version is available on F-Droid, the Play Store edition is subject to Google's imposed limitations.
I think that's the cause and solution rolled into one sentence right there. Use F-droid instead of Play Store.
- Unfortunately I think this is going to be an inevitable problem with any software repository. F-Droid just expects users to go to the repository and inspect the code if they have concerns, or to trust the developer. Google can verify their own code isn't malicious. They can't audit the code of potentially millions of apps submitted to the Play Store that will inevitably ask for access to your entire filesystem, if given the option. Because let's face it, the majority of mobile apps these days are just spyware whose primary purpose is hoovering up as much data as humanly possible to sell to data brokers.
  
  Nextcloud is in the main repo
  
  I agree, at least partially. I do think that in most cases, this will actually protect not-so-tech-savvy users from installing spyware.
  What i do not like is the "babysitting" approach which is now really bad on ios and android. They act like all users are babies who can't be trusted with making their own decisions. If I trust the app developer and I am aware that it has access to all files and what that means, I should be able to decide to use my smartphone that way, not the billion dollar corporation behind the app store. However Google can and should protect me by making this decision process easier and more informed, for example by showing what permissions are requested and maybe even a flag which indicates permissions that are not needed for any core functionality. I think that most users should be able to tell malicious permissions apart from actually needed ones.
  My messaging app wants access to all my files? I don't think so. My popular open source file synchronization app requests the same? Sure, go ahead.
- Lol ok

That explains why some files don't sync on my device ... just more reasons to fully switch to Lineage/Linux
Though, I've never seen any warning from Nextcloud that there might be an issue due to using the gplay version
- a fully functional version is available on F-Droid
- The thing is, this change isn't new, it's been coming for a while (as in years, it started with at least Android 13).
  Though it's weird, some apps still get full access, such as Resilio Sync, though other similar apps such as Nextcloud and Syncthing don't.
  I recently setup a phone and when installing Resilio it asked for permissions to the entire SD card, so clearly there's still a mechanism, but only some apps are permitted to ask for it.
  Something fishy going on.
- If you have a Google Pixel I reccomend GraphineOS
  
  That's my major critique point of Graphene - it's nice and all, but directly or indirectly supporting Google is pretty contrary to my goal. And, ofc, I'd much rather have a fairphone. I'd wish they'd support Google's special security features too.

44 comments