1. You download the apk
2. When you try to install it, it tells you it's from an unknown source and the installation was blocked to protect you
3. You tap "settings" and flip a switch to allow installing apps from your browser
4. You go back and tap "install". That's it. It's done. And you won't need to go to the settings the next time, it'll just work.
That's bearable though unpleasant when you have one or two pieces of software that rarely get updated, that's absolutely impossible when you have 10+ pieces of software - you'll sit there for 5 minutes just approving install prompts every week, which isn't something a normal human is going to do.
It doesn't help that FDroid is pretty broken, and constantly pops up notifications about updates that don't work/aren't actionable (i.e. tapping the notification doesn't result in an install prompt followed by a successful installation, instead I get various errors etc.). Also, apparently the FDroid review process is even slower than the Play store review process.
Yes — because that's something reserved for privileged system apps. You have to root your device to take advantage of that, or make a custom ROM with the alternative store in it. Having that ability as a permission you could grant to any app is an immense security risk. But then there are "device administrator" apps that can literally factory reset the device... I don't know. Maybe package installation should be part of that. Especially now that the legacy permission model was taken care of — if you install an app that doesn't support runtime permissions, you'll get a list of its permissions with toggles next to them when you run it for the first time.
> you'll sit there for 5 minutes just approving install prompts every week
Unpopular opinion: well-made software that serves its user doesn't need to be updated very often. Remember how you bought a program on a CD and used the exact same build for years?
The nice thing is that once the DPC is installed you can `adb install -r` (reinstall, ie update) it without needing to factory reset. Just don't uninstall it accidentally :D
Does this actually matter? On the desktop it's normal for apps to update themselves. Is there some fundamental reason an Android app cannot do this too?
> And you won't need to go to the settings the next time, it'll just work.
You will still have to find the apk when there is an update, download it and confirm install. There are still three steps to update the apk compared to Play Store's one tap (or even zero clicks if automatic updates are on). Only "Allow installing from this source" step is removed when updating the app.
But even if 99% of people could figure it out, it'd still be an unnecessary hurdle whose only purpose is to provide Google with an unfair competitive advantage.
Until all of that bs goes away, side-loading and secondary app stores will be nothing more than a hobby for enthusiasts.
Minecraft.
Steam.
Heck, every video game ever.
Skype.
Microsoft Office. Made billions when people had to physically go to a store and get it.
Google Earth. Chrome itself.
IntelliJ, any developer tool.
Zoom. WebEx. Most video conf tools, actually.
Any pro tool whatsoever.
You get the picture. No, ticking a box and tapping is not the end of the world and never has been. The UX for app installation on macOS and Windows is totally atrocious in both cases and people figure it out.
If you live in the Valley bubble world where every single app that exists is VC funded and desperately racing to get to a 100M daily actives first, then it might seem like one extra click is literally the end of the world. But FFS the vast majority of all businesses and products require more effort to get than that, and they work just fine.
Well here's your problem
Maybe the real reason will be pressure from the government to hurt the ones like Huawei a little more, maybe it will be the need to squeeze more money, or maybe the need for censorship because those evil alternative app-platforms allow whatever unwanted stuff.
Google standing in Europe is already really shaky. They keep taking fines after fines for abuse of their dominant position. That won't last forever. If they close the ability for other stores to exist, the best case scenario is the EU giving them a huge fine and forcing them to go back. Worst case is being force to split Android out of the main company. Google knows that which is why they will not do it.
