120 days until Google restricts side-loading, declaring war on Android freedom

94 pointsposted 6 hours ago
by krunck
(tuta.com)

25 Comments

theandrewbailey

6 hours ago

It's sad that Tuta has fallen for Big Tech newspeak. Once upon a time, we installed stuff on our devices. Calling it side-something makes it seem frowned upon, which plays right into Google's hand.

unrented7977

5 hours ago

It's not newspeak, we've been calling it sideloading since the 90s

Grimblewald

an hour ago

right but sideloading means installing outside the official channel. last i checked playstore was an option, not android official.

roosterIllusi0n

2 hours ago

That is untrue. It's called "installing" or just "running". Sideloading makes no sense if you describe normal installing that way. The side load is the app store.

tweetle_beetle

4 hours ago

Sideloading is a type of installing defined by the source of the file(s) being installed. Google will still allow installing from the Play store. The distinction is valid.

x______________

4 hours ago

> Sideloading is a type of installing defined by the source of the file(s) being installed

Installing is the action of the owner of the device, to add functionality to that device by adding compiled executable code, regardless of the source.

throwa356262

2 hours ago

I am not a fan of Apple or Google, but there is no other option that works with my everyday essential apps (e.g banking)?

black6

9 minutes ago

I almost never use dedicated apps. I am able to access all my bank and other financial accounts through their websites on mobile, no problem. (Vanadium browser on GrapheneOS)

mysterydip

2 hours ago

(warning dumb question incoming): since android apps are java, is it possible for a third contender to create a jvm for their platform and some hooks for android api’s and run anything that was made for them?

iAMkenough

2 hours ago

I miss when websites made it possible to do essential things in my daily life without requiring I install something on my device.

amlib

an hour ago

Except there were websites requiring you to install ActiveX and proprietary plugins to do anything meaningful as soon as 1995? Also banks requiring proprietary security modules to access your account, they were pretty ubiquitous in the early 2000s where I lived.

The difference now is that accessing services through the internet is a necessity rather than a luxury. I guess passing laws could fix this, but it's exceptionally hard to get anything done through the barrage of big tech lobbying.

iAMkenough

an hour ago

Oh god I just had Microsoft Silverlight flashbacks

garbawarb

5 hours ago

Why is it called side-loading here? Isn't that just downloading?

orphea

3 hours ago

It's installing, not just downloading.

paxys

2 hours ago

Downloading and installing an app from a source other than the official store included with the OS.

Because that is a mouthful people named it "sideloading".

roosterIllusi0n

2 hours ago

There is no such thing as an official store for anything. You can use any app store you want. But normal installing without an app store is called normal. The app store is the side show. If an OS locks you to their brand's app store and blocks normal installation, that is not legal since its a monopoly action.

Dylan16807

an hour ago

> There is no such thing as an official store for anything.

This goes beyond advocacy into straight up... well I won't yet call it lying but it's intentionally using words in a way that will mislead people using words the normal way.

That we should just call things installing, yeah I see where you're coming from. But in your other comment where you go so far as to conclude that "The side load is the app store"? That's just wrong.

throw_m239339

15 minutes ago

The only reason I chose Android was being able to install my own "native" apps without Google having a say. If that function is gone, I simply have no reason to use Android, I actually like IOS better in terms of UI, so I'll just move to Apple's ecosystem...

While using alternative OS on older Android devices.

OroPla

5 hours ago

Guess it's a good thing that Android can't install updates via Ethernet, but I only connect my phone via Ethernet. My next phone is going to be a Linux phone, though, I guess.

zerozerotwo

3 hours ago

Best part is the justification that eu regulations require this

throw_m239339

12 minutes ago

EU regulations do not require that, that's bullshit. Otherwise Microsoft and Apple would do the same and completely restrict what one can install on their laptop (Microsoft tried to force people to go through their store on Windows Family versions though, I'm glad they failed).