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Google CEO Sundar Pichai Warns Android Users Not to Sideload Apps

⁨154⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨throws_lemy@lemmy.nz⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://www.gizmochina.com/2023/11/18/google-ceo-warns-android-users/

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Comments

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  • youngalfred@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    No definitely don’t sideload a YouTube client that doesn’t play ads!

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    • WindowsEnjoyer@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      What color do you like? I like Gray.

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      • iloverocks@feddit.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I like the red one with a pipe

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  • Sandra@idiomdrottning.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    That's rich when the Google Play store is full of malware while F-Droid is full of gems.

    @technology
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    • mycatiskai@lemmy.one ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Is there a good guide on f-droid and sideloading you recommend?

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      • Mint_Raccoon@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        All you have to do is download the APK from the F-Droid website and enable installing from third-party/unknown sources in the Settings app (some versions of Android ask automatically when you try to open the APK). I also recommend disabling unknown sources for your browser once you're done as a security measure.

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      • NicoCharrua@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        For F-Droid in specific, you’ll need an F-Droid client. I use Droid-ify (GitHub) (F-Droid) (IzzyOnDroid), but you can use whichever you prefer. F-Droid is a good source for open source apps.

        If you’re sideloading from different sources, Obtanium (GitHub) (IzzyOnDroid) is useful to download apps, and keep them updated. You can even kinda use it as an F-Droid client.

        Google is pretty lax on what it allows on Google play, so unless you’re trying to avoid using Google services or you want to install apps that aren’t on the play store, you don’t need to do it.

        If you want adbocking and extra features in some apps (especially YouTube), check out ReVanced.

        Google isn’t lying - there are risks to sideloading if you don’t know what you’re doing. Make sure what you’re downloading is coming from legitimate sources you trust. For example, if you look up ReVanced, some unofficial websites show up which may have malware. Triple check everything is coming from an official source.

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      • ace_garp@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Here is a link to detailed descriptions of the recommended apps from fdroid.

        Use whichever you like, but this is a good starting area:

        lemmy.world/post/108566

        alternativeto.net/…/the-ultimate-f-droid-setup/

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      • gunpachi@lemmings.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I’m gonna suggest droidify . It’s basically a good looking f-droid client.

        Just download the apk and install it.

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      • gunpachi@lemmings.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I’m gonna suggest droidify . It’s basically a good looking f-droid client.

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    • LUHG_HANI@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Google’s ADS as a whole are malicious. Try Google drivers or TeamViewer and the first sponsored links are malicious/adware. It’s absolutely shocking.

      I added ublock origin into my clients GPO to protect myself from viruses. Msoft just as bad if not worse since we are all using their products to be protected from.

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    • pirat@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      F-Droid changed my life

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      • Sandra@idiomdrottning.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
        It's awesome!
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  • Melpomene@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I find it interesting that these companies are taking something that was once normal... loading your choice of software onto your thousand plus dollar computer... and pretending that its something new and evil.

    I'd prefer honesty. They want cash and this undermines thier platform near-monopolies.

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    • Womble@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      yup,just even the word “sideloading” seems like its been custom created to sound shifty and sidewise when all it means is installing something. People would look at you weirdly if told them “sideloading” Photoshop on to your PC was dangerous, but somehow its accepted for phones.

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      • Melpomene@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        As much as I hate them for it, they've done an excellent job vilifying ownership of one's own devices.

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    • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Same shitbags who successfully convinced a generation that it’s okay to download programs with ads built-in.

      No wonder they think they can get away with anything. It’s like herding sheep at this point.

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    • pete_the_cat@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      There may be a little bit of vendor lock in here, but it definitely is also about security. A lot of people are completely oblivious when it comes to tech. Sideloading is easy and there are tons of guides for it, so if someone is tech illiterate they can just follow the guide and install malware ridden apps easily.

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      • Melpomene@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Which they can apparently do from the Play Store, too. Thing is, the sort of person who goes seeking out alternatives is generally (though not always) more familiar with tech.

        Regardless, lockdown by design isn't about safety so much as it is about control.

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      • lightnsfw@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Sounds like a good opportunity for a learning experience then.

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  • ConditionOverload@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Honestly been steadily becoming less happy with the way Google/Android has been going even since Pichai took over.

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    • ladicius@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Enshittification.

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      • admin@lemmy.my-box.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        What makes you say that, specifically?

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  • EvilBit@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    In court: “Google isn’t a monopoly because we allow sideloading!”

    Outside of court: “Don’t sideload. It’s dangerous and terrible!”

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    • jack@monero.town ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      They are still allowing it tho

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      • dasgoat@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Because the courts made them lol

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  • Namstel@lemmy.one ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I’ve tried downloading some of the games that are on the Play Store for my kids, and by God those apps are cancerous. An ad every 30 seconds and the games are made purely with getting the players to become addicted in mind. Get off your fucking high horse Pichai.

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    • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Fun fact: You can sideload an adblocker that will legit block any ads in apps.

      It’s called Blokada 5, and you have to download it from their website and sideload it because Google banned apps that use its functionality from the Play store.

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    • bandwidthcrisis@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      There are some games that are genuinely aimed at being educational and fun, such as the Duck Duck Goose games. Or Starfall (from the website of the same name).

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  • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Sideloading is one of the greatest things we have.

    I’m so glad we have it. It almost feels like power and control from a bygone age.

    Of course this guy whose net worth is >$100m will be telling us not to use it.

    Fuck him.

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  • zepheriths@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I would say " well now I will, but I already do this

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    • Namstel@lemmy.one ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Now I’m going to do it even harder!

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  • LemmyNameMyself@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Basically everything outside fdroid is riddled with trackers and ads so no, thanks

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    • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Funny how search engine giant Google doesn’t implement a filter for “no ads, no in-app purchases.”

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  • theherk@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    If neither Google nor Apple took such a massive rake on the payments, fewer people would take issue with the main app distribution implementations. They have valid reasons for trying to keep you in their ecosystem, but those are severely undercut by taking such a huge percentage.

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    • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      What is it, 30%? That’s pretty standard.

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      • theneverfox@pawb.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Standard? They’re the only two players, if they both took 99% it would be standard

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  • alphacyberranger@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    stfu pichai

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  • MeanEYE@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Yes, don’t sideload apps. It takes opportunity from us to spy on your usage patterns and enforce ads.

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    • squiblet@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      That doesn’t say they take 70% of our money. It means that Google spends only 30% of what they take in on the store on operating it, which is very different.

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      • Mr_Blott@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        That guy’s got Liz-Truss-level understanding of economics

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  • weew@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    aka “Please only ever buy things off the Google Play store”

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  • spark947@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    So they argue that they want to protect users… from epic games? Like they are going to make a virus filled app? I kinda agree people need to be protected from fortnite, but its kind if a silly disingenuous argument.

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    • banneryear1868@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      protected from fortnite

      We got a number one Victory Royale

      Yeah, Fortnite, we 'bout to get down (get down)

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      • spark947@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Yeah, this is what I’m talking about.

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  • atrielienz@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I do what I want. I’m eating Mac and cheese and nobody can stop me!

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    • interceder270@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Hope it has bacon.

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      • Ignisnex@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Dude, just today I made 10 lbs of spicy bacon mac and cheese. This shit is so lit it gives the sun a run for it’s money.

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      • atrielienz@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Only my baked Mac n cheese has bacon. The stove top stuff doesn’t but it does have panko.

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  • Greggo@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Ironically, I see articles every month telling android users to uninstall a slew of shit malware apps that were on the play store. Thanks Pichai, but I’ll take my chances with more reputable sources.

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    • Squizzy@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Scan them with play protect, it’s an amazing piece of development that makes me feel truly safe in what I install on Google’s device they have lended me.

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  • Drinvictus@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    You know what I think I’m going to side load even harder

    Image

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  • kzhe@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I don’t have the Play Store on my phone. F-Droid (Droidify), Aurora Store, Obtanium, and Accrescent.

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  • ahriboy@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    AOSP is open source. Better STFU, Sundar.

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  • spudwart@spudwart.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I really can’t wait until we have a Linux-Mobile OS which supports android apps rather than having an entire fucking operating system running on java.

    Running your OS on java is like building your house on quicksand.

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    • bAZtARd@feddit.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Java is only the languages some apps are programmed in. There is no JVM in android. And no, the OS does not run on Java.

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    • Canuck@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Both GNOME & KDE already have builds you can do this with. E.g. Mobian, which uses a lot of the work Purism has done with PureOS, is working to make even default Debian work. You can install Android apps with Waydroid, and install it on Android devices like Pixel, OnePlus, in addition to Linux native devices.

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      • thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        It’s really not consumer ready though, I’ve tried desperately to use OnePlus and like devices as daily drivers but it’s just not there yet sadly. The more people that try tho the better off we will be

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    • jack@monero.town ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      I don’t think Android apps will be necessary on Linux mobile, at least GNOME is working on making their apps mobile-compatible

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      • spudwart@spudwart.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        To transition from Android to Linux Mobile, It absolutely will be. Some apps are only on Android/iOS and some desktop linux desktop apps do not support a mobile layout even on mobile linux.

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  • sederx@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    sundar shut the fuck up

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  • DeathWearsANecktie@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Fuck up Pichai

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  • MudMan@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    That article is... very confusingly written. Anybody got another source with a direct, full quote?

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  • sebinspace@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    So does the OS. It’s done that from the beginning, but it doesn’t prevent it outright. Who gives a shit?

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  • Sanchokan@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I've became used to enabling the play store only when I want to update or install certain specific app. I just leave the play store disable, so I don't get updates for each an every app that I might not even used.
    I just wish there was a way to do this without having to browse the apps menu each time.

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    • iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Aurora Store?

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      • Sanchokan@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        This is great, thank you!

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    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Try something like 3C Toolbox or QuickShortcut Maker.

      3C can do this for sure, though you may have to pay for pro to create custom shortcuts

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  • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Everyday User Bearofatime warns Prickchai he should lick ma balls.

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