Hacker News Reader

Comment by rebelos | Hacker News Reader

> Dubbed the Open App Markets Act, it would let you install apps from places other than Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store, which both come pre-installed on iPhones and Androids, respectively.

> The industry calls that sideloading, and if it's allowed, would mark a turning point in the companies' iron grip on how people access apps and use their phones.

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-apple-app-store-downl...

View on HN

Android already allows sideloading.

Epic's lawsuit against Google is about the Play Store being an all or nothing affair. If you want in the play store you use their IAPs, or you do what Epic has done and make your users sideload and deal with the extra tech support and discoverability challenges that presents. Epic want to be in the store but not use Google's IAPs.

This is a bit different from the listed act and the complaint against Apple where you're just now allowed on iDevices without complying

> Although Google leaves open the technical possibility for Android consumers to acquire some apps without using the Play Store, this can only be accomplished through a competing app store installed on the device (either through preloading by an OEM or through the user sideloading the store), or through sideloading of individual apps. Google takes various steps to discourage OEMs from directly competing or sponsoring any app store competition. Google makes the sideloading process unnecessarily cumbersome and impractical by adding superfluous, misleading, and discouraging security warnings and by deterring users by requiring them to grant permission multiple times for a single app installation (discussed in more detail in Sections I.C. and I.D. below). The effect of Google’s conduct is to practically eliminate competition in Android app distribution.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20210707/17411147129/googl...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com