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I've long wished there was a more encompassing alternative to F-Droid, which would include the same payment facilities as Google Play (paid app, in-app payments
by leppr 6y ago
I've long wished there was a more encompassing alternative to F-Droid, which would include the same payment facilities as Google Play (paid app, in-app payments, subscriptions), allow proprietary apps (but still give FOSS as a search filter and show it as a prominent feature on the app page), and offer plenty of user curation features ala Steam and make filters optional (which would allow communities of independent reviewers to vet apps for child-safety, not being COVID-related, etc... and users to chose whether to restrict themselves to that selection or not).
It's quite amazing when you think about it, that two US companies have absolute power over deciding what 99% of people in the world can do with a device that many would describe as an extension of themselves.
- phh 6y agoNowadays there is Aurora Droid that solves the curation question: Aurora Droid supports F-Droid-like repos, you can have multiple selected, and they may include proprietary applications. All usual issues with Android's security getting in the way still applies though. Overall Aurora Droid is still miles away from a "proper" store, because there is no payment, there is no user feedback (so apps are still ordered by last updated or name...), and I don't think the author plans on adding such features (Because it also requires backend work). That's still a nice update to F-Droid original app.
- RealStickman_ 6y agoAnother F-Droid based store app is G-Droid. It is possible to write comments and apps are rated with a mix of user ratings, update intervals and github ratings.
- efreak 6y agoFrom my understanding, most developers never see this it even know it's there.
- nocturnial 6y agoEpic games tried to side step google: > When Fortnite launched on mobile in 2018, Epic Games very notably sidestepped the Google Play Store and pushed users to download the title directly from their website, an effort made to avoid the substantial revenue cuts that Google takes from in-app purchases of Play Store downloads. After 18 months of harsh rhetoric regarding platform gatekeeping, Epic Games says that Fortnite is now available for download on the Google Play Store, though it will still be downloadable from fortnite.com moving forward. > Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage, through technical and business measures such as scary, repetitive security pop-ups for downloaded and updated software, restrictive manufacturer and carrier agreements and dealings, Google public relations characterizing third party software sources as malware, and new efforts such as Google Play Protect to outright block software obtained outside the Google Play store,: an Epic Games spokesperson said in a statement. "Because of this, we've launched Fortnite for Android on the Google Play Store."
- scarface74 6y agoAnd Epic conveniently forgot to mention the part about the security warning being well deserved when it came to Fortnite... https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnites-battle-royale-with-android-security-problems-is-just-getting-started/ https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnites-battle-royale-with-andro...
- zaroth 6y agoThat article reads like propaganda for Google Store. > That's because Fortnite isn't available through Google's Play Store. Epic instead chose an unorthodox -- and more dangerous -- route for the game's fans. Rather than download it through the official Google app store, players need to download the game and "sideload" the app on their Android devices instead. That Epic is allowed to do this underscores why Google's Android often gets knocked for its security chops. No wonder they ultimately folded and came back into the “protection” [racket] offered by Google Play with PR like this coming to bear.
- scarface74 6y ago
- sschueller 6y agoSomeone needs to take this to the EU courts and force google (and apple) to allow the use of alternate app stores that are not technically hindered. It was done with Windows and Explorer so I don't see why this is any different.
- scarface74 6y agoAlternate app stores have been allowed on Android since day one.
- searchableguy 6y agoNot really. You need to be root to have the same experience as playstore - namely auto updates.
- scarface74 6y agoSo I’m going to both trust an app that is not sandboxed on my phone and trust it to update itself without my consent?
- WrtCdEvrydy 6y agoAll apps are sandboxed in Android... even the ones installed externally.
- scarface74 6y agoObviously not well enough considering what happened with Fortnite....
- WrtCdEvrydy 6y agoWhat happened to Fortnite?
- 6y ago
- scarface74 6y agoYou can sideload apps on Android.
- benbristow 6y agoAmazon have one but it's never really taken off outside the Fire device range.
- g_p 6y agoXDA Labs originally set out to do a few of these things. https://www.xda-developers.com/xda-labs/ https://www.xda-developers.com/xda-labs/ It tries to provide an alternative to the 30% "platform charge", and offers PayPal and cryptocurrency payments (with real-time approval etc from what I recall). It's hard to gain users on an alternative store, especially when most don't know what isn't available to them. And most also don't see the 30% fee being taken from the developer by the platform. Low cost apps are pretty much unaffordable to do at hobbyist scale when you factor in the platform charge, VAT, and taxes, and I fear for the future with app development heading down the route of only large professional outfits doing so (with their large, professional data gathering and monetisation plans).
- DagAgren 6y agoIt will 100% be filled with scammy and fraud apps instantly.
- thekyle 6y agoIt's not exactly what you asked for but there is the Amazon Appstore which can be installed on any Android device. It has paid apps/in-app purchases/subscriptions support.