Any idea how this demand is different from the current state of Android?
Under Epic's terms, any app downloaded from anywhere would operate identically to apps downloaded from Google Play, without Google imposing any unnecessary distribution fees.
Last time I used it, I downloaded all my apps through F-Droid, and I didn’t think they were paying Google anything?
They probably mean, for example, not having to prompt the user to allow installs from "unknown sources", allowing alternative app stores to update apps and themselves automatically in the background like Google Play does, allow installations from alternative stores with one tap without extra user interaction, etc.
There are differences between play store and other store. For instance, on fdroid you have a pop up asking each and every time if you want to install or update the app after pressing install button. Play store you just click install and let it do its work in the background.
I don’t think fdroid can update app by itself in the background. Play store can.
I mean third party store doesn’t have access to some of the api play store have, things you don’t care but that is important to normies and that would induce reduced profit from epic store.
You don't have that popup on NeoStore and other alternatives, because they use Android's new APIs. F-Droid (the app) somehow gets nowhere. Still can't export/import package sources either.
I used droid-ify recently, which is well maintained and still got these pop up. Are you sure we’re talking about the same thing ? I mean pop up that says « would you like to install x app ». Yes no. And you got to give permission to the store first to even show this pop up.
Which states it’s only for side loaded applications, not for applications downloaded through a separate app store, so this wouldn’t affect Epic
It’s also important to note that Google is only restricting sideloaded apps. If you use an alternative app distribution platform like F-Droid or the Amazon app store, you won’t run into the accessibility services restrictions
Things like screen reader access have huge potential uses by malware. Generally it should not be trivial for a program to get that level of access to everything you do.
The restriction of being limited to Google Play and not other app stores implies the implementation is part of Google Play Services, and not included in AOSP
So I was curious if that’s how it’s implemented on Android - I know Google loves moving features out of AOSP
However, things like Android-Password-Store used Accessibility services through F-Droid for autotyping back when I used it
So, trying to understand what has been locked down, since I’m planning on going back to GrapheneOS
It just takes an additional warning acknowledgement.
Google isn’t fully stopping sideloaded apps from using accessibility services, though. Once you’ve run into the dialog saying that accessibility services are restricted for the app in question, you can activate access under the app info screen in the top right corner via the “allow restricted settings” menu entry, so if you’re a power user interested in augmenting your phone with a legitimate app, you can still do that. This seems like a loophole that nefarious apps could circumvent by instructing users to enable restricted settings. Thus, it’s possible that Google will still change this behavior before going live with stable Android 13.
It’s also important to note that Google is only restricting sideloaded apps. If you use an alternative app distribution platform like F-Droid or the Amazon app store, you won’t run into the accessibility services restrictions, with Google probably reasoning that applications in app stores are screened, at least to a degree.