- cross-posted to:
- android@lemmy.ml
android-developers.googleblog.com
- cross-posted to:
- android@lemmy.ml
Google has announced it is building a new way for ‘experienced users’ to install Android apps that haven’t been verified.
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This isn’t -bad- news, but I’m still not impressed. They could have just, you know, not done it in the first place. They don’t get credit for partially walking back a bad decision. The “advanced flow” is more likely a dark pattern, and will still have a chilling effect on FOSS uptake and distribution, which is still the intended purpose of the change.
Couldn’t handle the blowback, eh? I doubt this will convince the townsfolk to put down the pitchforks. Might need more walk back.
I imagine they announced the most extreme form of it they were considering and had several fallback plans depending on how much backlash there was.
Definitely the intelligent way to do it.
This will buy everybody more time to make/refine/try out normal non-google options, before they inevitably kill it permanently in a few years.
Still going to give Linux phones a shot now that the cats out of the bag.
a fairphone with murena /e/os is looking pretty good right about now, or maybe whatever grapheneos is cooking up.
Have one (Fairphone with E/OS) and tbh, I really enjoy not dealing with googles shenanigans and straight up malware practices. I did not take kindly to one morning them telling me they removed a “dangerous” app. Mind you, it was a work phone and NFC debugging app from our own institute, costing my employer my lost time on it. Extra bonus for remotely installing and executing unwanted services that reduce battery life by 75%.
With that level of interference, I wonder about the legal implications? “Someone torrented shrek from that phone?” Or even “Device was used as part of a malicious DDoS op?” Must’ve been some intern/intelligence agent at google, I don’t control the device after all." seems like a legitimate defense/claim. Well, as long as the rule of law exists in some way. But if that goes away, then it doesn’t matter really. At that point you need guns and combat drones, not phones.
too late. eat shit and go fuck yourself, Google.
Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren’t tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months.
Amazing, so basically what everyone said: Put all the big red scary warnings you want but don’t make it impossible.
Look how much pushback was needed to reach this obvious common sense solution. Truly incredible.
Thanks for nothing Google 👍At least they helped the degoogle thing gain momentum.
They did! I’m on GrapheneOS now. I postponed the switch for over a year and the sideloading news convinced me to do it on the first free weekend. I’m very glad I did it.
