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Doesn't Amazon have its own Android app store? Why don't they offer the full version there and allow users to side-load? https://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/get/ama

Doesn't Amazon have its own Android app store? Why don't they offer the full version there and allow users to side-load? https://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/get/amazonapp https://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/get/amazonapp

dboreham 4y ago
My guess is : Google lawyers already thought of this.
- michaelmrose 4y ago
  Probably more likely people aren't used to side loading and if you succeed in teaching people to do this you have also taught them how to avoid paying you as well.
nirvdrum 4y ago
You can. I've done that with Audible in order to make cash purchases. With that said, the app has taken a hit since it's clearly optimized for its primary installation target. I can technically purchase through the app, but prices are buried and sections like "deal of the day" have been removed entirely. Strangely, even though I installed the app through the Amazon App Store, the Google Play Store will overwrite it when an update is available. And then I'm back to a version that can't make cash purchases. It took me a little while to figure out what was going on there. The solution was to disable auto-updates for the Audible app from my Google Play Store account. But, why is Google replacing an application installed by a different source in the first place?
ocdtrekkie 4y ago
Google makes it aggressively difficult to install third party app stores, full of scary warnings that it compromises the security of your device. They also threaten/pressure any OEM that thinks about including their own or a third party app store. If it was that simple, Epic Games wouldn't have risked their entire mobile footprint suing them and Apple over it.
- tssva 4y ago
  I always hear this about Google making it difficult and scary but that has never been my experience. There are a couple of warnings when you 1st install an app through a 3rd party app store but I wouldn't classify them close to be aggressive or overly scary.
  - ocdtrekkie 4y ago
    I would emphasize that a scary warning for the average Android user is not necessarily a scary warning for the average HN user. Google is well aware of this difference, and absolutely has ensured it's scary for the former.
NelsonMinar 4y ago
Because in practice using any appstore other than Google Play is a bad experience on Android.

dboreham 4y ago

My guess is : Google lawyers already thought of this.

michaelmrose 4y ago
Probably more likely people aren't used to side loading and if you succeed in teaching people to do this you have also taught them how to avoid paying you as well.

nirvdrum 4y ago

You can. I've done that with Audible in order to make cash purchases. With that said, the app has taken a hit since it's clearly optimized for its primary installation target. I can technically purchase through the app, but prices are buried and sections like "deal of the day" have been removed entirely. Strangely, even though I installed the app through the Amazon App Store, the Google Play Store will overwrite it when an update is available. And then I'm back to a version that can't make cash purchases. It took me a little while to figure out what was going on there. The solution was to disable auto-updates for the Audible app from my Google Play Store account. But, why is Google replacing an application installed by a different source in the first place?

ocdtrekkie 4y ago

Google makes it aggressively difficult to install third party app stores, full of scary warnings that it compromises the security of your device. They also threaten/pressure any OEM that thinks about including their own or a third party app store. If it was that simple, Epic Games wouldn't have risked their entire mobile footprint suing them and Apple over it.

tssva 4y ago
I always hear this about Google making it difficult and scary but that has never been my experience. There are a couple of warnings when you 1st install an app through a 3rd party app store but I wouldn't classify them close to be aggressive or overly scary.
- ocdtrekkie 4y ago
  I would emphasize that a scary warning for the average Android user is not necessarily a scary warning for the average HN user. Google is well aware of this difference, and absolutely has ensured it's scary for the former.

NelsonMinar 4y ago

Because in practice using any appstore other than Google Play is a bad experience on Android.