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Google mocks Epic’s proposed reforms to end Android app market monopoly (arstechnica.com)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 57 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (19 children)

Any idea how this demand is different from the current state of Android?

Under Epic's terms, any app downloaded from anywhere would operate identically to apps downloaded from Google Play, without Google imposing any unnecessary distribution fees.

Last time I used it, I downloaded all my apps through F-Droid, and I didn’t think they were paying Google anything?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

In addition to what atocci said, apps not downloaded from an app store by default have limitations on their access to accessibility services.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Huh. That’s a weird restriction that definitely gives credence to their case

Are accessibility services only part of Google Play and not AOSP…?

Edit: FalseMyrmidon pointed out an article about the restriction below

https://www.androidpolice.com/android-13-blocks-accessibility-services-sideloaded-apps/

Which states it’s only for side loaded applications, not for applications downloaded through a separate app store, so this wouldn’t affect Epic

It’s also important to note that Google is only restricting sideloaded apps. If you use an alternative app distribution platform like F-Droid or the Amazon app store, you won’t run into the accessibility services restrictions

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Things like screen reader access have huge potential uses by malware. Generally it should not be trivial for a program to get that level of access to everything you do.

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

The restriction of being limited to Google Play and not other app stores implies the implementation is part of Google Play Services, and not included in AOSP

So I was curious if that’s how it’s implemented on Android - I know Google loves moving features out of AOSP

However, things like Android-Password-Store used Accessibility services through F-Droid for autotyping back when I used it

So, trying to understand what has been locked down, since I’m planning on going back to GrapheneOS

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

https://www.androidpolice.com/android-13-blocks-accessibility-services-sideloaded-apps/

It just takes an additional warning acknowledgement.

Google isn’t fully stopping sideloaded apps from using accessibility services, though. Once you’ve run into the dialog saying that accessibility services are restricted for the app in question, you can activate access under the app info screen in the top right corner via the “allow restricted settings” menu entry, so if you’re a power user interested in augmenting your phone with a legitimate app, you can still do that. This seems like a loophole that nefarious apps could circumvent by instructing users to enable restricted settings. Thus, it’s possible that Google will still change this behavior before going live with stable Android 13.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Thanks!

It’s also important to note that Google is only restricting sideloaded apps. If you use an alternative app distribution platform like F-Droid or the Amazon app store, you won’t run into the accessibility services restrictions, with Google probably reasoning that applications in app stores are screened, at least to a degree.

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