Edit: For what it’s worth, you can give Google feedback to stop this nonsense. Scroll down to Get Ready section and click on Share your feedback. You can use the following text as an example.

Android’s strength has always been in being both secure and open. Restricting sideloading goes against this principle and does little to protect users. The existing toggle and clear warnings are already enough to inform users of the risks.

Meanwhile, the Play Store itself continues to be the main source of Android malware. In 2023 alone, malicious apps on Google Play were downloaded over 600 million times. More recently, 77 infected apps with 19 million installs and 200+ other malicious apps with nearly 8 million installs slipped past Play Protect. These numbers make it clear where the real problem lies.

If Google truly wants to protect users, the focus should be on strengthening Play Store defenses. Android’s openness is not the threat; malware inside the official store is. Please prioritize fixing that instead of undermining one of Android’s core values.

I’m considering leaving Apple for Android for a very long time now. On my shortlist I have the Fairphone Gen 6 and the OnePlus 13. Other options are not possible. I don’t want Google or Samsung hardware, or any other manufacturers that make it difficult to unlock your bootloader.

One of the reasons is the freedom to install any app I want on my device, because it’s my device. But with the news about Google forcing developers to share their personal credentials it makes it difficult for me to go to Android. Basically Google is trying to kill sideloading. Should I even move to Android now or is Android with the limitation just like iOS?

  • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
    31·
    4 days ago

    Anything you can do in the Apple ecosystem you can do in the Google ecosystem.

    • AtariDump@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 days ago

      Does Google have an audio only streaming protocol that’s in third party devices?

      A home streamer without ads on the Home Screen?

      A first party watch?

      A computer that isn’t a web browser running on low powered hardware?

      • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        Does Google have an audio only streaming protocol that’s in third party devices?

        …you mean Bluetooth?

        A home streamer without ads on the Home Screen?

        What is a “home streamer”?

        A first party watch?

        LOL, yes, but that’s not actually do anything, that’s just existing.

        A computer that isn’t a web browser running on low powered hardware?

        Once again, yes, but also not something you do, just existing.

        • AtariDump@lemmy.worldEnglish
          11·
          4 days ago

          …you mean Bluetooth?

          I mean Airplay.

          What is a “home streamer”?

          AppleTV

          LOL, yes, but that’s not actually do anything, that’s just existing.

          Which first party watch does Google make for android?

          Once again, yes, but also not something you do, just existing.

          What computer?

          • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
            41·
            4 days ago

            I mean Airplay.

            Never heard of it before, but sounds a lot like Spotify Connect. Or Google Cast. So, yes.

            Which first party watch does Google make for android?

            It’s called, get this, Pixel Watch

            What computer?

            Take your pick. There are thousands of ChromeBooks and Android tablets.

            • AtariDump@lemmy.worldEnglish
              12·
              3 days ago

              Spotify connect is locked in to Spotify. Google Cast would be the equivalent.

              No need to be condescending when having a chat about what the watch is called; I had no idea. Just like you don’t know what AirPlay is.

              You seem to have forgotten about the steaming device/box similar to the AppleTV; one that doesn’t have ads on the home screen.

              I’m asking for a computer. Not a Chromebook or tablet. Apple has the Mac running the MacOS, Google has….

              • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
                21·
                3 days ago

                I had no idea. Just like you don’t know what AirPlay is.

                When I didn’t know, I looked it up

                You seem to have forgotten about the steaming device/box similar to the AppleTV; one that doesn’t have ads on the home screen.

                Take any Google TV box and install a different launcher. Boom. Ads gone.

                I’m asking for a computer. Not a Chromebook or tablet.

                I dont know what you think a computer is, but they are.

                • AtariDump@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  3 days ago

                  When I didn’t know, I looked it up

                  Same

                  Take any Google TV box and install a different launcher. Boom. Ads gone.

                  I just buy an AppleTV. Boom, no ads.

                  I dont know what you think a computer is, but they are.

                  Can I run Microsoft Word on a Chromebook? Get more than six years worth of updates on a Chromebook? Find a tablet that hasn’t been abandoned by Google after four years.

                  • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
                    1·
                    3 days ago

                    Same

                    You didn’t you asked me for it. Something you could have looked up in the time it took you to write that sentence.

                    I just buy an AppleTV. Boom, no ads.

                    I think you’ve lost the topic of the conversation. The topic was that yes, anything you can do on the Apple ecosystem, you can do on Android. So thank you for confirming that.

                    Can I run Microsoft Word on a Chromebook?

                    Why are you still asking me these things instead of typing them into a search engine? Yes, of course you can

                    Get more than six years worth of updates on a Chromebook?

                    ChromeOS is a rolling release, like Windows. Longevity simply depends on how long they support the OS itself. Which is not much longer now. But you’ll be able to simply install Android instead, which is better anyway.

                    Find a tablet that hasn’t been abandoned by Google after four years

                    As I said earlier, there are many 3rd part Android tablets that you can buy today and expect long term support. Unlike Apple, you are not beholden to first-party hardware.