Google must crack open Android for third-party stores, rules Epic judge
Google must crack open Android for third-party stores, rules Epic judge
Android will soon be a very different place.
cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/26302348
But third party stores are already allowed and supported on Android?
"Allowed and supported" is something different then "its possible". The article mentions some points that seemingly haven't been "supported" in the past:
- Stop requiring Google Play Billing for apps distributed on the Google Play Store (the jury found that Google had illegally tied its payment system to its app store)
- Let Android developers tell users about other ways to pay from within the Play Store
- Let Android developers link to ways to download their apps outside of the Play Store
- Let Android developers set their own prices for apps irrespective of Play Billing
Google also can’t:
- Share app revenue “with any person or entity that distributes Android apps” or plans to launch an app store or app platform
- Offer developers money or perks to launch their apps on the Play Store exclusively or first
- Offer developers money or perks not to launch their apps on rival stores
- Offer device makers or carriers money or perks to preinstall the Play Store
- Offer device makers or carriers money or perks not to preinstall rival stores
Thanks Mr. Epic Judge
Play Store
This is all about the Play Store though, it has literally nothing to do with competing stores. I use F-Droid today and there are no restrictions from Google about what apps I can install through that store, whether I can pay for apps through that store (some apps have donation buttons inside), etc. There's nothing stopping Epic from distributing their own app store like F-Droid does even before this decision.
So I really don't understand what "cracking open Android" means here. All that seems to be happening is that Google is restricted from certain actions within its own store, which is absolutely fine by me (I don't use the Play Store), but I don't see any actual changes to Android or third-party app stores.
The closest is this one:
Offer device makers or carriers money or perks not to preinstall rival stores
But Samsung already has its own app store, no? So is there any actual evidence that this was ever a thing?
They should place these restrictions on Apple, not Google, because Apple is the one doing all of this nonsense. Yeah, Google should be reigned in a bit, but they're really not the problem here.
It'll be "allowed and supported" when e.g. you can download F-Droid from the Play Store instead of having to side-load it.
But doesn't that tie third party stores to the play store more?
Did you know that if you use the "transfer data from my old phone to the new phone" thing, only the apps installed from Google Play will be carried over? That is, FDroid apps and their data will be lost.
To be honest even getting data back from an older backup in your same device sucks, since I rooted my phone and got Swift Backup I got one Android issue ticked off (iOS handles the backups way better, now I am looking to customize my lock screen like in iOS, what a crazy world we live isn't it?).
That means get rid of that fucking anti-sidoading shit they're flirting with.
My initial reading of the reporting on this ruling suggests it won't do that. App developers can opt out of most of the provisions, but Google may not pressure them to do so.
Cool. Do apple next!
Especially because they already have the infrastructure to do so with the EU’s ruling, so they can’t make any claims about it not being secure or that it’s not possible
If that makes it even easier to get F-Droid installed for the masses, I'm all for it.
I installed it, it would kick off updates for hours every day for 3 days straight, and I uninstalled it. What is so good about it for you? I get not getting the apps through advertised crap, but I really dont think this will effect most users at all.
That sounds like some bug that should not occur and would of course be painfully annoying. The main advantage of it are the apps it provides, though. Some of them are not available in the play store (like NewPipe, a very good YouTube app without adverts, if that is still around). It is also a good place to start if you are looking for some new app for a specific feature, mainly because it consists of free, open source apps and you don’t have to sift through loads of low quality software that is riddled with ads, collects as much data as possible, or requires some obscene subscription fee, if all you wanted was a flashlight or whatever.
There are many things I like about F-Droid, but its UI is awful for a lay person
droid-ify :)
wording "crack open" doesn't seems appropriate
next you're going to tell me 'side loading' and 'backdoor access' sound naughty
Maybe it was phrased like that for this very reason.
that is an epic judge right there
They got the wrong phone OS...
At least they have precident now.
They need to do this on iOS Fr Fr
XDA-CHADS, TODAY WE WILL REMIND THEM.
It mentions decoupling the payment system from the store.
Is this really a good thing? It'll lead to Google relying even more on ad revenue.
if Google wants paid, they can make a compelling and competitive product
What OS do you use? I haven't run anything different in a long while. The OS on my Galaxy S4 I think was my last OS I replaced
I'll always read this as the article praising the judge by calling them epic.
What jurisdiction in this?
@muntedcrocodile @RmDebArc_5 California
🥳🎉
Could be good
About fucking time