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Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move

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424 points josephcsible | 2 comments | 13 Oct 25 15:24 UTC | HN request time: 0.631s | source
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itg ◴[13 Oct 25 16:13 UTC] No.45570037[source]▶
Installing any app I want outside the Play Store was the primary reason I decided to go with Android, despite most of the people I know using iPhones. If I can't do this anymore, I may as well switch and be able to use iMessage and FaceTime with them.
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jadbox ◴[13 Oct 25 16:29 UTC] No.45570261[source]▶
You can still install apps outside the play store, but the developer does need to verify their signing information. Effectively this means that any app you install must have a paper trail to the originating developer, even if its not on the app store. On one hand, I can see the need for this to track down virus creators, but on the other, it provides Google transparency and control over side loaded app. It IS a concerning move, but currently this is far from 'killing' non-appstore apps for most of the market.
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1. msh ◴[13 Oct 25 17:48 UTC] No.45571257[source]▶
It also makes it easy for google to blacklist a developer, if for example the trump administration don’t like them (the same way apple removing apps documenting ICE).
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2. pkulak ◴[13 Oct 25 17:58 UTC] No.45571396[source]▶
And basically every corporation with any business in the US has proven _more_ than willing to instantly capitulate to any demand made by the administration.