this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2023
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Android

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[–] [email protected] 180 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I can advise Pichai to lick my nuts

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not often I upvote a comment suggesting someone lick their nuts.

[–] DontTreadOnBigfoot 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I on the other hand will always upvote someone suggesting nut licking

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

That's the spirit

[–] hakunawazo 6 points 1 year ago

Surprised Pichai face

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[–] Stovetop 88 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I don't know why this is news. Most consumer Android phones, Google's included, require you to acknowledge a warning before the ability to sideload is enabled. Their stance has always been "at your own risk, we don't recommend it" and we always just laugh and say "okay, whatever dude" before we do it anyways.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

we always just laugh and say "okay, whatever dude" before we do it anyways.

The thing is for people who aren't used to modding and you try to side-load a random cool app on their phone (or somehow they end up doing it themselves) they might be frightened and may even cancel the installation.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But there are also users who interpret dialogs like that the old way:

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A family member always downloaded and installed APKs from the internet and didn't know about the Play Store cause that is how you did things on Windows.

The person is question has low tech literacy, and they were doing this for years

[–] TheGrandNagus 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yup. Some people try out Linux (and to some extent MacOS, although their app store is a lot less all-encompassing) and attempt to do the same thing, finding random executables online that may or may not cause issues and may or may not even be from the actual developer themselves.

The ubiquity of Windows means that MS's software decisions - good or bad - have knock on effects to other software, such as people doing as you say to find apps, as well as things like ignoring security prompts because of how poorly they implemented Window's User Account Control dialogues.

It's not always a bad thing, sometimes it can act as a positive pressure to improve - e.g. Window tiling/snapping becoming a much more widespread feature after Win7 included it. But man it really can be a bad thing sometimes.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Because it's an excuse.

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[–] [email protected] 53 points 1 year ago

Can someone please tell Pichai that I can do whatever I want with my phone that I paid for. (Also tell him to fuck off and that he can suck ma balls)

[–] GrayBoltWolf 50 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What he really means is β€œwe want our 30% cut”

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[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago

Be Pichai.

Tell people not to sideload apps fOr SaFeTy.

Find out [Insert Malware App] has been on the play store for months and tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people have downloaded it.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

Could you imagine Laptop manufacturers saying "do NOT download apps from other websites. ONLY download from the Windows App Store"

Like, fuck off Pichai, you're insane

Are phones the only devices out there that receive such scrutiny in the tech world?? My laptop can literally do the exact same thing but better

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[–] mydude 39 points 1 year ago (1 children)

FOSS via F-Droid is gaining momentum, they don't like it.

[–] woelkchen 26 points 1 year ago (2 children)

They don't like Epic Game Store gaining momentum. They don't care that much about F-Droid.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Yeah, no a lot of lost revenue from f droid

[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'll keep sideloading if they don't allow F-Droid, NewPipe and LibreTube on the Play Store.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago

I agree with him. If you don't know what you are doing and just blindly install something off the Internet, it's a security concern. I would not recommend that most users side-load apps, either. You have to remember that this crowd is not representative of the average user.

Just don't take the option away from those of us who do know what they are doing.

[–] lazycouchpotato 32 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I own my device. I get to choose what I install on it.

Google Chrome isn't on the Microsoft Store on Windows or macOS Store on macOS. Should I stop "sideloading" it according to his advice?

Edit: Found more about the quote on The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/14/23960811/pichai-we-dont-want-to-allow-you-to-completely-compromise-your-phone

β€œWe’re trying to strike a balance. Apple’s iPhone only allows the App Store, but we believe in choice, so on Android we allow you to sideload and install additional applications.”

I'm so conflicted about it. I don't want people to have to suffer for intentionally or unintentionally installing garbage on their phones, but I can't let that take away from how I use my device as well.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago

To late already formatted and installed lineageOS and f-droid

[–] danielfgom 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Clearly this is BS. Sideloading is perfectly safe if you just reputable resources.

What he's really saying if that the average user is too dumb and will install any rubbish from anywhere. He's not wrong but that shouldn't prevent competent users from sideloading.

At least they've made the process scary enough that the average user don't even bother to do it

It's a non issue that shouldn't be given any time.

I've sideloaded for years and never had any malware.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Pichai advises Android users not to sideload apps for security reasons

s/security/financial

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

Well, not all the apps I want are on your store, so πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

If we're not careful there will be a new generation of users who have no concept of "apps" at all, and will conflate sideloading (or anything 'not authorized') with an illegal process.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Ok asshole I won't sideload apps from the Play Store anymore.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

naa i'll keep doing what I'm doing

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

I advise Pichai to suck my dick

[–] Mr_nutter_butter 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If playstore wasn't utter shite maybe I wouldn't sideload apps

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Id rather become a hermit than pay for and give up all my privacy like these assholes want. Boycott everything, enough is enough. Even grocery companies are gouging us with record profits.

Stop spending $$.

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[–] disconnectikacio 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course i do, and install more and more sideload apps. Newpipe is good, smarttube is great, youtube premium is lame ;)

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

K thx bye I'm not logging in with a google account on my phone

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[–] fne8w2ah 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Haven't he heard of F-Droid?

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[–] Matth78 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hope there will be movement from some governments to forbid having no choice about store for apps. I don't know about iPhone but is there really no other way but apple store to install app? Apart from jailbreaking? If so I am concerned nothing has / is already been done about forcing their stores on users.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

There is already one in the EU. Regulation just passed a while ago, will be in effect in March. Windows is getting a less shitty EU version because if it for example.

Look up the Digital Markets Act.