Technology

That sounds illegal.

In parallel, Google has rolled out its Play Integrity API, which allows developers to limit app functionality when sideloaded, effectively pushing users to install apps only through the Google Play Store.

All of this while EU forbids Apple to do the same, what is the idea here? Measuring how EU reacts?

Yikes this really doesn't look good. Is there any reporting on it from independent journalists (or anyone else who isn't also advertising their own competing operating system)?

This article is a thinly veiled ad paired with fearmongering to get gullible users to buy the shit phones they sell (or not, some people have been on "waitlists" for 5+ years after providing a full payment).

Granted, their phones are fully open, but have next to no apps.

Personally I'll stick with Android 12, rooted, and see what the future brings.

In Singapore, lots of boomers are downloading scam apps from facebook lured by promises of discounts and free gifts, handing out accessibility privileges, and they'll even argue vehemently against loved ones and bank staff when confronted. When it all inevitably blows up, they blame absolutely everyone except themselves, including praising Apple for some reason.

Being the largest voting block, they managed to get banks responsible for reimbursing their losses and there was even an idea floated of getting everyone to contribute to a shitty scam insurance fund. Many major banking apps are paranoid af and block usage from simple things like usb debugging turned on.

Absolutely stupidity. And there's nothing we can do about it when the politicians love them so much.

effectively pushing users to install apps only through the Google Play Store

I wonder what this will mean for Aurora and Fdroid etc.

Kinda depressing that all of big-tech seems to have given up "innovating" (finding applications for publicly-funded research), and have become rent-seeking dinosaurs.

"Purism makes premium phones..." Haaaaaaaaa 😂

One of the reasons why I got a Android over ios :(

Why is it so hard to "Don't be Evil"

From what I can tell, all of this shit is on Google versions of Android. If you are on AOSP such as lineage or graphene, from what I understand this has no effect whatsoever.

The restrictions on apk access over the past 10 years have already been an annoying pita. Many of the best power user apks have had to gut themselves over their original functionality, all while obtaining root access over your owned devices has become harder or next to impossible.

Degoogled ROMs are gonna be the bomb in the future.

Not bothered if necessary Il patch every apk before installing it, one more stupid American move that will ultimately give the entire market to the Chinese.

...in Singapore...

There is exactly one app I use that is available only on play store - my bank.

I don't really need the app.

They have a website.

I have a few phones, just got one that now has grapheneOS.

I've been using it for a few weeks to see how it works before I switch over anything to use it as my main. it has a lot of very interesting privacy/security features to test out.

Either way, I don't get anything from the play store anymore.

It's F(L)OSS or a website.

As god intended.

Are they talking about the changes that were made that allow a dev to prevent their app from launching if it fails a Play integrity check?

If so I don’t see that as a big deal since it is up to the dev to use it. OSS devs that want to distribute their app via apk download won’t enable it, and anyone distributing cracked apks will just disable that along with whatever other changes they are making.

From the article it sounds like the limitations come for some app types downloaded directly from a browser. I think this doesn't affect alternate app stores like f-droid where you are effectively delegating approval to their process.

I have come across the other limitations mentioned with the Home Assistant companion app which I could only get matter registration to work with the version downloaded from the Play store.