this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2023
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About the only benefit I can personally see from this is the ability to fully integrate F-Droid as an app store in my device, with proper automatic background updates, and without requiring root solutions that void my work's security measures for mobile devices. On the other hand, I can see Huawei, Amazon, and Epic jumping to the fray with their own app stores and system services, and maybe Google Play being far more lenient with subscription services like Spotify's in their own App Store. Altogether, I personally loathe Epic's approach, but appreciate the consequences of their lawsuit.
Increased competition is ALWAYS better for the customer.
You're forgetting AppBrain from like 15 years ago.
I agree on the concerns, but it's a virtually universal truth, so long as they're actually forced to treat other app stores fairly. We might end up with a true third party stepping in to claim the throne, at least until the mega-corps reverse all the optimization they've created for their own benefits (even things like searches for apps are not fully intended to benefit the user right now, things most people don't really realize).
This may force Google to address their terrible dispute resolution policies though. If they keep removing software without providing any meaningful dispute resolution, then I would hope that there's a possibility for alternate repositories to fill that void.
Amazon has/had an app store, it was terrible. Though I welcome competitors to step up after this.
Amazon still has its own app store open - mostly because it's the one Microsoft used as the base for their Android compatibility layer. I expect this ruling to give Amazon a breath of fresh air as "the alternative app store".
Droidify with adb or Shizuku can already do that. But it needs Android 12+. Then it can do unattended updates.
Problem is, ADB requires enabling developer mode, and guess what - my company also blocks access to devices with developer mode on! (Also, the fact that Shizuku doesn't work correctly over mobile because it requires stable Wi-Fi to fake a wireless debug connection doesn't help matters.)
Shizuku only requires WiFi once per boot. But it also needs ADB, so it sadly won't work for your company phone.
I think the Session Installer mode allows updates without a dialog for apps already installed by Droidify without dev mode or adb.