I’m seeing a bunch of posts about how Google has decided to stop allowing side loading on Android phones. But the EU relatively recently forced Apple to do the exact opposite. Won’t they just do the same thing for Android phones? Sure, people outside the EU market will lose this ability as a default, but presumably you can just order a Euro phone on ebay if you are outside the EU.
So why is everyone panicking? I think Google is definitely being shitty by trying to do this, and I support the development of other open source alternatives. I like the fact that this could be a big wakeup call for that effort. But I am wondering if this is also not as big of a deal as everyone is making out.
The EU requires Apple to allow direct installation of apps, but tolerates Apple requiring the apps to be signed with an Apple-approved key, which makes it possible for Apple to ban developers.
Google’s plan seems to be similar.
You see, that’s the fun thing.
Android will still technically allow sideloading, they’ll just make it difficult and scary for average user, and annoying for devs.
Despite what your favorite tech blog might’ve said, the EU hasn’t forced Apple to allow sideloading (more than is already allowed in the US and most of the rest of the world).
They forced Apple to allow third-party app stores (apps where you DOWNload other apps). Google is planning on doing exactly what Apple is doing in the EU, but globally.
Yes these changes made by Google are technically in violation of the DMA, but the courts are sloooow. And so far google has only announced these changes afaik, not actually shipped them. They will probably be forced to support third party stores properly at some point.
Unless of course the EU chat control laws get passed, because if they do, then you can just forget about all these digital openness and privacy laws because they are completely worthless then. Locked down stores would be the number one method of distributing backdoored apps to allow them to “protect the children”…
They could’ve just added an option in the OS to only accept apps signed by Google alongside “Install unknown apps” but nooo, they had to do it the Apple way and take the freedom of installing any app you want entirely.
Fuck em’.
Technically it will still be allowed. In reality, it will just be Play Store without a nice UI. Now question is whether or not it’s enough for the European Comission to take action.
