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The trouble I have with AOSP of all flavors isn't lack of Google Services, it's lack of access to the app store. I can do fine without Google Services, but I o

The trouble I have with AOSP of all flavors isn't lack of Google Services, it's lack of access to the app store. I can do fine without Google Services, but I occasionally need an app that's just not available on F-Droid, and Google is doing their level best to make it harder to get APKs any other way. You used to be able to download them from the store; no longer possible. They've announced some other package format, support for which I assume won't be released to AOSP. They're locking Android ever closer in to their store, and it makes any alternative Android distribution ever more dependent on Google.

sphinxcdi 5y ago
You can access and download apps from Google Play Store with Aurora Store. https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore#aurora-store-a-google-playstore-client https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore#aurora-store-a-goog... > Google is doing their level best to make it harder to get APKs any other way. You used to be able to download them from the store; no longer possible. They are making it easier with Android 12 by letting third-party stores do automatic updates without user interaction, not harder. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#automatic-app-updates https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#aut... It has always been the case that OEMs need to bundle Play Services in the OS and that you need an account to access Google Play. Some OEMs like Samsung and Huawei bundle their own store, "the store" isn't a thing. Raccoon, Yalp Store, Aurora Store, etc. to access Google Play have always existed too. > They've announced some other package format, support for which I assume won't be released to AOSP. It's not a new format, it's open source and Aurora Store and other stuff supports it just fine. It's not locked to Google Play.
- the_biot 5y ago
  I had no idea about Aurora Store, this changes things for me. Thanks!

sphinxcdi 5y ago

You can access and download apps from Google Play Store with Aurora Store. https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore#aurora-store-a-google-playstore-client https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore#aurora-store-a-goog... > Google is doing their level best to make it harder to get APKs any other way. You used to be able to download them from the store; no longer possible. They are making it easier with Android 12 by letting third-party stores do automatic updates without user interaction, not harder. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#automatic-app-updates https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#aut... It has always been the case that OEMs need to bundle Play Services in the OS and that you need an account to access Google Play. Some OEMs like Samsung and Huawei bundle their own store, "the store" isn't a thing. Raccoon, Yalp Store, Aurora Store, etc. to access Google Play have always existed too. > They've announced some other package format, support for which I assume won't be released to AOSP. It's not a new format, it's open source and Aurora Store and other stuff supports it just fine. It's not locked to Google Play.

the_biot 5y ago
I had no idea about Aurora Store, this changes things for me. Thanks!