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I would like to see a rise in decentralized services, but it's not possible while Apple and Google's curated stores are the only way to install apps on a smart

I would like to see a rise in decentralized services, but it's not possible while Apple and Google's curated stores are the only way to install apps on a smart phone. As soon as you can install an app from a file like you can on desktop, then we can have some real progress. I'm thinking of Apple saying "we won't let you download that app" for my macbook. How did we let them have that power on mobile computing?

kiwidrew 6y ago
It's still perfectly possible (for now) to use an alternative app store like F-Droid on Android phones. It requires sideloading an .apk (literally "install an app from a file") and jumping through a couple hoops (basically: changing your security settings to allow installing apps from a file) to get started, but it's not an insurmountable barrier. Apple is of course a totally different story, as their devices are 100% locked down walled gardens where Apple is the sole arbiter of what software you're allowed to install. It continues to astound me that a substantial number of HN users see absolutely nothing wrong with this.
MR4D 6y ago
> it's not possible while Apple and Google's curated stores are the only way to install apps I disagree. We have DNS, email, and HTTP. That's a pretty capable set of distributed protocols that have been on those phones since the beginning. The stores are not a problem here (although they are in other ways); rather, there is a lack of apps that people want to use, or perhaps a lack of people using those apps. I use Riot (now Element), which uses the Matrix protocol across all my iDevices, and it runs just as well as on my Mac. but hardly anyone I know is on it. It's much more private of a solution that WhatsApp, and although not as refined, it works pretty darn well for my use cases.
- devmunchies 6y ago
  If we're talking about technical feasibility, then you're right, it's possible to compete with the app store with the web browser. However, the masses don't care about technology and protocols. It's about convenience and motivation. Any extra step will decrease adoption and engagement on the whole. All things being equal, if it takes any more energy to do something then, statistically, it will be done less.

kiwidrew 6y ago

It's still perfectly possible (for now) to use an alternative app store like F-Droid on Android phones. It requires sideloading an .apk (literally "install an app from a file") and jumping through a couple hoops (basically: changing your security settings to allow installing apps from a file) to get started, but it's not an insurmountable barrier. Apple is of course a totally different story, as their devices are 100% locked down walled gardens where Apple is the sole arbiter of what software you're allowed to install. It continues to astound me that a substantial number of HN users see absolutely nothing wrong with this.

MR4D 6y ago

> it's not possible while Apple and Google's curated stores are the only way to install apps I disagree. We have DNS, email, and HTTP. That's a pretty capable set of distributed protocols that have been on those phones since the beginning. The stores are not a problem here (although they are in other ways); rather, there is a lack of apps that people want to use, or perhaps a lack of people using those apps. I use Riot (now Element), which uses the Matrix protocol across all my iDevices, and it runs just as well as on my Mac. but hardly anyone I know is on it. It's much more private of a solution that WhatsApp, and although not as refined, it works pretty darn well for my use cases.

devmunchies 6y ago
If we're talking about technical feasibility, then you're right, it's possible to compete with the app store with the web browser. However, the masses don't care about technology and protocols. It's about convenience and motivation. Any extra step will decrease adoption and engagement on the whole. All things being equal, if it takes any more energy to do something then, statistically, it will be done less.