Hacker News Reader

Hacker News

Comment by danpalmer | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

danpalmer

> Google will have to allow alternative app stores on Google Play.

Play is a store. It's used on Android, which allows other stores, of which there are many.

View on HN

But you can't install the store itself (e.g. fdroid) from Play Store at the moment

Ah right I see what you mean. That's a whole different can of worms.

It's not that complicated to download APK and install it. Most people don't download is because they don't trust other stores the way they trust Google. And Google could definitely make it much more harder to download F Droid in play store by presenting warnings(some of which are legitimate) or even not allowing it on search.

If Google will keep applying taxes on apps on Google Play then other companies will educate users that it's ok to install alternatives the same way it works on Windows with Steam, GOG Galaxy etc.

I think your “not that complicated” threshold is well past what most users are ok with.

>It's not that complicated to download APK and install it

It's not complicated to reset your windows password either, but there are entire careers dedicated to helping average people do it because not everyone is technically inclined.

I practically don't know anybody (except for tech literate guys) who doesn't install non-Play store apps because of security reasons. Also, average guy doesn't know about APK stuff.

If another app store is allowed, people will definitely download apps from there, though I believe percentage would be quite low.

I said due to trust, not due to security reason. Just like people are used to buying on Amazon even though google will literally show a cheaper place in first ad when you search the product.

Also, I think average guy knows how to install APK in Android. It's literally easier than installing Chrome on Windows, and 80% of windows web share usage is from chrome.

Play is a store. Amazon Appstore is a store.

I believing OP was suggesting Google will need to allow the latter to be available in the former, not just allow the latter to be installed on Android.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com