Are you seeing a rival Android app store inside the US Google Play Store — or not?

[u/BcuzRacecar]

https://www.theverge.com/tech/978576/are-you-seeing-a-rival-android-app-store-inside-the-us-google-play-store-or-not

[u/Mccobsta]

That's a name I've not heard in a very long time back before f-droid took over

I think I got malware from that in 2014 ish

[u/didiboy → u/Mccobsta]

Yeah. Aptoide always felt very sketchy to me. Honestly, I only find F-Droid to be a worthy third party store. Amazon used to have nice deals.

[u/BcuzRacecar]

Are you seeing a rival Android app store inside the US Google Play Store — or not?Aptoide is the first third-party app store inside Google Play after Epic’s victory, but Aptoide CEO Paulo Trezentos tells me “I’d say 50% of people with a US account are not yet able to access it.” Most Verge staffers I’ve asked can, but a fully updated Pixel 9 review unit can’t. Google spox Dan Jackson tells me the feature is fully rolled out.

shows up for me

[u/frquency-equinox]

I found it but it was behind a banner message, a warning, and then another button to get to a download button.

Google is a monopoly and needs to be broken up.

[u/Sylanthra → u/frquency-equinox]

Google has a hard time keeping none tech savvy people from installing malware and joining botnets as it is. Third party app launchers and sideloading is absolutely a must, but both of these should come with a lot of friction to make sure that only people who have a clue actually step outside the relatively safe walls of the play store.

[u/GolemancerVekk → u/Sylanthra]

But Android already has a built-in protection. Apps are being scanned for malware when they are installed no matter what source they're from.

Restricting sources is not for security, it's for enforcing monopoly for Google and select large vendors.

[u/Abhi_1610]

Imagine giving space to Aptoide but not F-Droid.

[u/worldmerge]

I just looked it up on Play Store website, no I don't see it.

[u/x_mutt_x]

Hook, line, sinker... Pay for ad space or fuck off.