Google has announced it is building a new way for ‘experienced users’ to install Android apps that haven’t been verified.
Salamitaktik?
Interesting! I learned a new word. And yes, look to Google Chrome’s walking back of blocking ad-blockers to its eventually implementation anyway once people stopped screaming about it.
Building a new way does not adequately means giving up on developer verification. In the last paragraph, Google is also promoting the verification for non-GPlay developers.
Out of all possibilities in this universe, there may be a chance that these new flows include user verification instead of developer.
There should also be a rule to rephrase “sideloading” as “installing from non-Google-approved sources” at this point.
As much as sideloading is a strange term, it is one that most people understand. If someone were to search for information about this specific topic, they would search for “sideloading”, not whatever alternative we come up with, regardless of how “accurate” it is
IIRC, the term predates Android, and was originally coined to refer to installing non-apple applications on the original iPhone. At the time, this could only be done via cable. So, as distinct from “downloading” from the app store to the device, it does make a certain kind of sense. It’s been accepted into the vernacular with a slightly warped meaning, but that’s language for you.
This isn’t -bad- news, but I’m still not impressed. They could have just, you know, not done it in the first place. They don’t get credit for partially walking back a bad decision. The “advanced flow” is more likely a dark pattern, and will still have a chilling effect on FOSS uptake and distribution, which is still the intended purpose of the change.
yep, it was already impossible to get people to use fdroid. Now there’s no way anyone except hardcore enthusists will even attempt to get away from the play store.
Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren’t tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months.
Amazing, so basically what everyone said: Put all the big red scary warnings you want but don’t make it impossible.
Look how much pushback was needed to reach this obvious common sense solution. Truly incredible.
Thanks for nothing Google 👍At least they helped the degoogle thing gain momentum.
Reminds me of manifest v3
They just delayed it until people got bored being mad
I just hope more open phones like the rumored Graphene phone with actually good high-end hardware are out by then so I can leave their ecosystem comfortably. As you wrote, Google has a history of abusive behavior and doing what they want anyway.
Librem 5
Still going to give Linux phones a shot now that the cats out of the bag.
Yep. Also, unlockable bootloader support has went from a high priority to mandatory on the back of this news. Hopefully there are multiple good Linux options for my next upgrade in a few years too.
They are not easing up anything. They said there will be small scale testing still possible already. What we need is to say Yes, I want to enable Unknown sources install like we did until now.
Sorry, I’m seeing someone else.
too late. eat shit and go fuck yourself, Google.
You say eat shit, like you think talking shit is a kind implication you’re totally not-saying something of purpose and consequence.
There is no difference between Algorithms and “Digital Mushrooms.” They will eat the dead just as much as they eat the living.
a fairphone with murena /e/os is looking pretty good right about now, or maybe whatever grapheneos is cooking up.
Have one (Fairphone with E/OS) and tbh, I really enjoy not dealing with googles shenanigans and straight up malware practices. I did not take kindly to one morning them telling me they removed a “dangerous” app. Mind you, it was a work phone and NFC debugging app from our own institute, costing my employer my lost time on it. Extra bonus for remotely installing and executing unwanted services that reduce battery life by 75%.
With that level of interference, I wonder about the legal implications? “Someone torrented shrek from that phone?” Or even “Device was used as part of a malicious DDoS op?” Must’ve been some intern/intelligence agent at google, I don’t control the device after all." seems like a legitimate defense/claim. Well, as long as the rule of law exists in some way. But if that goes away, then it doesn’t matter really. At that point you need guns and combat drones, not phones.
there are multiple linux phones and distros, but I’m not considering any of them at the moment. I do like some or even a lot of convenience, and degoogled android is just about the most concessions I can make at the moment.
Couldn’t handle the blowback, eh? I doubt this will convince the townsfolk to put down the pitchforks. Might need more walk back.
I imagine they announced the most extreme form of it they were considering and had several fallback plans depending on how much backlash there was.
Mort and Baileys tactics
A friend in Bulgaria couldn’t even find a way to enable sideloading in the first place so maybe they should ease up on the existing ones 🙂 no? Death it is then,
