this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2023
99 points (88.4% liked)

Android

17677 readers
44 users here now

The new home of /r/Android on Lemmy and the Fediverse!

Android news, reviews, tips, and discussions about rooting, tutorials, and apps.

πŸ”—Universal Link: !android@lemdro.id


πŸ’‘Content Philosophy:

Content which benefits the community (news, rumours, and discussions) is generally allowed and is valued over content which benefits only the individual (technical questions, help buying/selling, rants, self-promotion, etc.) which will be removed if it's in violation of the rules.


Support, technical, or app related questions belong in: !askandroid@lemdro.id

For fresh communities, lemmy apps, and instance updates: !lemdroid@lemdro.id

πŸ’¬Matrix Chat

πŸ’¬Telegram channels / chats

πŸ“°Our communities below


Rules

  1. Stay on topic: All posts should be related to the Android OS or ecosystem.

  2. No support questions, recommendation requests, rants, or bug reports: Posts must benefit the community rather than the individual. Please post to !askandroid@lemdro.id.

  3. Describe images/videos, no memes: Please include a text description when sharing images or videos. Post memes to !androidmemes@lemdro.id.

  4. No self-promotion spam: Active community members can post their apps if they answer any questions in the comments. Please do not post links to your own website, YouTube, blog content, or communities.

  5. No reposts or rehosted content: Share only the original source of an article, unless it's not available in English or requires logging in (like Twitter). Avoid reposting the same topic from other sources.

  6. No editorializing titles: You can add the author or website's name if helpful, but keep article titles unchanged.

  7. No piracy or unverified APKs: Do not share links or direct people to pirated content or unverified APKs, which may contain malicious code.

  8. No unauthorized polls, bots, or giveaways: Do not create polls, use bots, or organize giveaways without first contacting mods for approval.

  9. No offensive or low-effort content: Don't post offensive or unhelpful content. Keep it civil and friendly!

  10. No affiliate links: Posting affiliate links is not allowed.

Quick Links

Our Communities

Lemmy App List

Chat and More


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Metal_Zealot@lemmy.ml 142 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I can advise Pichai to lick my nuts

[–] RobMyBot@lemmy.ml 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not often I upvote a comment suggesting someone lick their nuts.

[–] DontTreadOnBigfoot@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I on the other hand will always upvote someone suggesting nut licking

[–] Metal_Zealot@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

That's the spirit

[–] hakunawazo@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Surprised Pichai face

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] helenslunch@feddit.nl 64 points 1 year ago

Those who complain about iOS being a "walled garden" should understand why Apple doesn't allow sideloading.

We already know. It's because Apple wants their 30% cut, you fuckin' dunce.

What makes Apple think they're the only ones who can "keep their users safe" from malware? Google can't do it just as well? Amazon can't? Samsung? Sony? Wal-Mart? F-Droid? Plenty of malware on the Apple app store.

[–] Stovetop@lemmy.world 50 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I don't know why this is news. Most consumer Android phones, Google's included, require you to acknowledge a warning before the ability to sideload is enabled. Their stance has always been "at your own risk, we don't recommend it" and we always just laugh and say "okay, whatever dude" before we do it anyways.

[–] BlastboomStrice@mander.xyz 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

we always just laugh and say "okay, whatever dude" before we do it anyways.

The thing is for people who aren't used to modding and you try to side-load a random cool app on their phone (or somehow they end up doing it themselves) they might be frightened and may even cancel the installation.

[–] infeeeee@lemm.ee 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But there are also users who interpret dialogs like that the old way:

[–] ChristianWS@lemmy.eco.br 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A family member always downloaded and installed APKs from the internet and didn't know about the Play Store cause that is how you did things on Windows.

The person is question has low tech literacy, and they were doing this for years

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yup. Some people try out Linux (and to some extent MacOS, although their app store is a lot less all-encompassing) and attempt to do the same thing, finding random executables online that may or may not cause issues and may or may not even be from the actual developer themselves.

The ubiquity of Windows means that MS's software decisions - good or bad - have knock on effects to other software, such as people doing as you say to find apps, as well as things like ignoring security prompts because of how poorly they implemented Window's User Account Control dialogues.

It's not always a bad thing, sometimes it can act as a positive pressure to improve - e.g. Window tiling/snapping becoming a much more widespread feature after Win7 included it. But man it really can be a bad thing sometimes.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] thepiguy@lemmy.ml 43 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] netchami@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

That is great advice.

[–] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 43 points 1 year ago

Be Pichai.

Tell people not to sideload apps fOr SaFeTy.

Find out [Insert Malware App] has been on the play store for months and tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people have downloaded it.

[–] Cyberbatman@lemmings.world 36 points 1 year ago

Can someone please tell Pichai that I can do whatever I want with my phone that I paid for. (Also tell him to fuck off and that he can suck ma balls)

[–] Metal_Zealot@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

Could you imagine Laptop manufacturers saying "do NOT download apps from other websites. ONLY download from the Windows App Store"

Like, fuck off Pichai, you're insane

Are phones the only devices out there that receive such scrutiny in the tech world?? My laptop can literally do the exact same thing but better

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Nath@aussie.zone 34 points 1 year ago

I agree with him. If you don't know what you are doing and just blindly install something off the Internet, it's a security concern. I would not recommend that most users side-load apps, either. You have to remember that this crowd is not representative of the average user.

Just don't take the option away from those of us who do know what they are doing.

[–] mydude@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

FOSS via F-Droid is gaining momentum, they don't like it.

[–] woelkchen@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

They don't like Epic Game Store gaining momentum. They don't care that much about F-Droid.

[–] netchami@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago

It's kinda funny to watch two garbage corporations fighting each other

[–] lud@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

Yeah, no a lot of lost revenue from f droid

[–] danielfgom@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Clearly this is BS. Sideloading is perfectly safe if you just reputable resources.

What he's really saying if that the average user is too dumb and will install any rubbish from anywhere. He's not wrong but that shouldn't prevent competent users from sideloading.

At least they've made the process scary enough that the average user don't even bother to do it

It's a non issue that shouldn't be given any time.

I've sideloaded for years and never had any malware.

[–] lazycouchpotato@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I own my device. I get to choose what I install on it.

Google Chrome isn't on the Microsoft Store on Windows or macOS Store on macOS. Should I stop "sideloading" it according to his advice?

Edit: Found more about the quote on The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/14/23960811/pichai-we-dont-want-to-allow-you-to-completely-compromise-your-phone

β€œWe’re trying to strike a balance. Apple’s iPhone only allows the App Store, but we believe in choice, so on Android we allow you to sideload and install additional applications.”

I'm so conflicted about it. I don't want people to have to suffer for intentionally or unintentionally installing garbage on their phones, but I can't let that take away from how I use my device as well.

[–] netchami@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

Google Chrome isn't on the Microsoft Store on Windows or macOS Store on macOS. Should I stop "sideloading" it according to his advice?

Yes, actually no one on this planet should be using Chrome or any proprietary browser when superior FLOSS alternatives like Firefox and LibreWolf exist.

[–] netchami@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Google CEO Pichai can go fuck himself.

Fuck you Pichai, fuck you Google, fuck you Big Tech. I'm not doing what you are telling me, I'm not using your crappy proprietary services that are built to spy on everyone, I'm not watching your shitty advertisements, I'm definitely not giving you any of my data. I hope your piece of shit company goes bankrupt and you end up on the street, that's where you belong to. I'm not a slave of your totalitarian system, I'm free to choose where I download my software and what software I want to run on my devices. I do everything to avoid your surveillance capitalism, I use FLOSS software wherever I can. Your business model is a piece of trash, it will inevitably fail at some point. I am sure that you will try to do everything to mislead the public and to get them to believe your lies, but not everyone is as stupid as you would like them to be.

[–] ToNIX@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

Fuck you I won't do what you tell me 🎡

To late already formatted and installed lineageOS and f-droid

[–] mp3@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'll keep sideloading if they don't allow F-Droid, NewPipe and LibreTube on the Play Store.

[–] rar@discuss.online 17 points 1 year ago

If we're not careful there will be a new generation of users who have no concept of "apps" at all, and will conflate sideloading (or anything 'not authorized') with an illegal process.

[–] archchan@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 year ago

Ok asshole I won't sideload apps from the Play Store anymore.

[–] DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Pichai advises Android users not to sideload apps for security reasons

s/security/financial

[–] unmagical@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago

Well, not all the apps I want are on your store, so πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

I advise Pichai to suck my dick

[–] jcarax@beehaw.org 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh well, I guess I'll return the Pixel 8 I just ordered.

Nah, I'll just install Calyx, and invite Sundar to suck my dick.

[–] sadreality@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

Proper attitude! Getting tiring of these tech daddies trying to dictate what I will do my devices.

These creeps really think they own the devices but I guess why wouldn't they when normies take it and even say thank you.

[–] AnarchoCummunist@hexbear.net 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Sorry, not sorry, not giving up on New Pipe. Best ad-free YouTube experience, period.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Mr_nutter_butter@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If playstore wasn't utter shite maybe I wouldn't sideload apps

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] rem26_art@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

naa i'll keep doing what I'm doing

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago

Id rather become a hermit than pay for and give up all my privacy like these assholes want. Boycott everything, enough is enough. Even grocery companies are gouging us with record profits.

Stop spending $$.

[–] disconnectikacio@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course i do, and install more and more sideload apps. Newpipe is good, smarttube is great, youtube premium is lame ;)

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Kuori@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

"CEO says" annnnd ignored. next time get someone with a soul to say whatever it is.

[–] uzay@infosec.pub 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

K thx bye I'm not logging in with a google account on my phone

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] fne8w2ah@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Haven't he heard of F-Droid?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] jlow@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

Yeah and it feels like there's a "study" coming out every other month how many hundreds or thousands of apps on the playstore are filled with spy- and malware, I'd think that can also "really compromise your safety, very significantly." So πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

load more comments
view more: next β€Ί