3w ago

Google's new rules could wipe out sideloading and alternative app stores, F-Droid warns

www.androidauthority.com

Google’s new developer registration requirements could make it impossible for independent Android app stores like F-Droid to survive, the group behind the open-source repository has warned in a new blog post

Comments

Sunshine (she/her) @piefed.social 3w ago
Support linux mobile devs more people.
- ProdigalFrog @slrpnk.net 3w ago
  Specifically, consider donating to PostmarketOS, which is the most promising project!
  
  The Infinite Nematode @feddit.uk 3w ago
  https://postmarketos.org/ to save you a search
- entwine @programming.dev 3w ago
  I don't think that's the right answer. Android isn't a good operating system, it's a great operating system for mobile. All these mobile Linux distro projects face a monumental challenge to reach parity with Android on almost any metric. Even if any one of them was backed by major investment, I don't think they'll ever succeed...and if they do, we'd just end up with multiple competing open source operating systems which just creates pointless fragmentation.
  Android is open source, but it's held by an evil monopolist. The most effective path to freedom on mobile is legal/regulatory, and supporting efforts to break Google up. They've already been declared an illegal monopoly twice in two separate cases. The first one ended with a slap on the wrist, because the judge was a spineless coward. The second one is currently in the remedy phase, and hopefully will have a real impact.
  
  Sunshine (she/her) @piefed.social 3w ago
  Nothing is built overnight. Your claim that it “will never happen” is going to be so wrong.
- FizzyOrange @programming.dev 3w ago
  This is really naive. Mobile Linux is never going to happen for many reasons.
  It would be better to spend effort on lobbying regulators to prevent this move.
  
  Sunshine (she/her) @piefed.social 3w ago
  
  Naysayer whose about to be proven wrong. They said desktop Linux was never going to happen or that putting a man on the moon is impossible…
- mohab @piefed.social 3w ago
  Too expensive, unfortunately.
9tr6gyp3 @lemmy.world 3w ago
bUt iTs aN oPeN pLatFoRm!!¡!
- Maeve @kbin.earth 3w ago
  Just in the last couple of days, I read how companies avail themselves of FOSS without contributing financial support and end up costing end users exorbitant amounts. Socialized tech for exorbitant private profit. This is capitalism.
Jake Farm @sopuli.xyz 3w ago
Doesn't this violate the EU ruling against apple for only allowing their app store?
- 6nk06 @sh.itjust.works 3w ago
  IIRC you still need to pay Apple to push your applications on alternative stores.
  
  ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝 @sopuli.xyz 3w ago
  I think that's also something they are still being prosecuted for
- FizzyOrange @programming.dev 3w ago
  Probably not, because you can still publish on alternative app stores. Just not in the way that F-Droid wants it to work - where they build the app from source for you.
SeductiveTortoise @piefed.social 3w ago
Linux on mobile isn't really ready yet, is it?
- skvlp @reddthat.com 3w ago
  The market really needs a third choice.
  
  fistac0rpse @fedia.io 3w ago
  it's time for the return of Windows Phone! /s
- ProdigalFrog @slrpnk.net 3w ago
  Not quite, though the Furi phone is, from the accounts I've read, fairly usable compared to most.
  I'd recommend donating to PostmarketOS, if possible. They're the most promising project.
  
  SeductiveTortoise @piefed.social 3w ago
  I can and I will. Thanks for the hint. I appreciate it 💖
- bdonvr @thelemmy.club 3w ago
  It's close. With a big push and swell into at least a small userbase I think it can be.
  
  entwine @programming.dev 3w ago
  Besides myself, I think I've only ever met one or two other people who know enough about technology to even be capable of using something like that.
xcjs @programming.dev 3w ago
I'm highly concerned about this, not only due to lack of control of software I can choose to install, but also what happens once a developer is blacklisted? I haven't seen anyone really address this.
What guidelines will Google use to determine that an app is "safe"? Will Google begin blacklisting developers who modify apps? What about developers who make apps that aren't controversial themselves, but linked to controversial technologies or can be used for controversial means? (Torrent clients, etc.) Google to my knowledge has not provided a list of criteria they will use.
Even if Google claims pure motivations now, I think the amount of control this policy carries will be far too tempting for Google to refuse to utilize in full for any cause.
- Sahwa @reddthat.com 3w ago
  What guidelines will Google use to determine that an app is "safe"?
  the guidlines? as long as you pay goolag for your developer ID
TankovayaDiviziya @lemmy.world 3w ago

This is why tech giants like Apple and Google supported Trump. They are monopolies and have an axe to grind against the Democrats who went aggressive with investigating breach of antitrusts by tech under Biden.
Edit: wording
Maeve @kbin.earth 3w ago
This is uncannily like spe* API move.
tu11ebukk @piefed.social 3w ago
Really hope Droidian gets a bigger following, as a consequence of this !
LumpyPancakes @piefed.social 3w ago
Google's new rules could keep me on my Motorola G84 until 5G is obsolete.
Gravitywell.xYz @sh.itjust.works 3w ago
CerebralHawks @lemmy.dbzer0.com 3w ago
As an iPhone guy who doesn't mind the limitations, it's really sad to see Android losing everything that made it different from Apple. Headphone jacks, memory card slots, and now sideloading, with an honourable mention to Nova Launcher.
If Android is going to be just like iOS, you better not still be paying iPhone prices for Android phones, being that the original intent of Android (as when Google bought it) was to harvest more user data (than Gmail could) to be sold. You're getting a weaker phone that collects your data and sells it to the highest bidder AND you're paying iPhone prices AND you can't sideload anymore (or, after such date in the future)? Nah, fuck that. At that point you should just get an iPhone, right? Seriously, take a good hard look at the iPhone 17 (the base model, not the Air or the Pro). $800 gets you privacy first, 256GB of storage, it's the second most powerful phone out there (the Air and Pro have more cores), two cameras (so not as good as Pixel 10 at the same price in that regard but better video recording). Samsung has some advantages but they sell your health data. Apple Health being private is now a feature that the others do not have.
Obviously we need a third option because if Google/Android won't compete with Apple, who will? And if nobody's competing with Apple, why should Apple improve? Hell, the 17 series is a joke... not that the 16 series was a huge improvement over the 15 series. I feel like my 16 Pro Max will go ten years, won't need to be replaced unless it gets physically broken.
- Colonel Panic @programming.dev 3w ago
  "privacy first" - yeah right. it's commonly known that Apple harvests a shitton of data on both iOS and macOS, not much different from Google or Microsoft. If you want a modicum of privacy, GrapheneOS on Pixel phones is an option. you can get last year's model for below €500 (new and unused)
  
  CerebralHawks @lemmy.dbzer0.com 3w ago
  They do collect data, but they aren't data brokers, they aren't selling it to the highest bidder, like Google does.
  I think the scary thing about Apple is, we don't know where they're gonna go. Right now the assumption is (from our side) that they are still a computer company first and they want to keep the data to make their products better, but that might be naive and overly optimistic. With Google, we know where they stand. So they're less scary maybe? To some? I dunno. Call me what you will, but I still think of Apple as that old school computer company, just with some services now (e.g. Apple Music, TV+, etc.).
- doleo @lemmy.one 3w ago
  Thanks, Tim.

42 Comments