Users are now getting Android's convoluted sideloading process, and everyone hates it
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-sideloading-apps-flow-screenshots-3705423/
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-sideloading-apps-flow-screenshots-3705423/
66 Comments
Asetru@feddit.org · 145 pts · 1d
"sideloading process"
I hate it. It's just setting up software I own on a computer I own. It's literally just "installing".
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · 11 pts · 1d
I hate it too but tbf its descriptive of what it originally meant: sticking something into the side of your computer (edit: or any device) and loading software from that.
The term isn't invented by Android and didn't have any negative connotation originally. That's all Android's doing.
edit: what's with the downvotes? I'm stating fact and I'm definitely not defending Android in any way.
edit2: I'm just trying to raise awareness of the history of this and other terms, and how Android and other entities sometimes hijack them for their own purposes.
18107@aussie.zone · 20 pts · 1d
I "sideload" apps onto my watch because it's done entirely from my phone. I don't need a PC to put apps on my phone, so it's just "installing".
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · 6 pts · 1d
I was refering to the origins of that term. "Computer" as in any device with an OS.
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 1d
If you are download the software on a separate device, and transferring it over, via adb or something, I'd call that sideloading.
If you're downloading it directly on your phone and installing it, I'd call that installing, regardless of what Google and Apple preferred i call it.
DmMacniel@feddit.org · 1 pts · 1d
DmMacniel@feddit.org · 0 pts · 1d
No, that's downloading.
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 1d
It is not descriptive as you claim.
It is circumventing roadblocks put in place, but it is still downloading and installing.
Some people now call it sideloading, yes, and with normal language I'd say accept this mistaken usage as one definition, the linguist way.
But since this is a political fight, i will not accept when anyone follows this big-tech framing of "this is not the right way to install an app. Here's a scary word for it."
Please don't participate in this cultural fight to make something normal sound strange.
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · 2 pts · 1d
It's in the wikipedia article I linked.
But that's what I'm trying to explain and nobody seems to get: that's the meaning Android put into the term. Long before that, it just used to describe "the process of transferring files between two local devices".
One more time: Android adopted this term and made it into something "bad". And I fucking hate that, and everything that entails right now, just like the rest of you.
But the term sideloading is older than Android, and originally did not have this negative connotation, quite the opposite.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading#Historical
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 1d
Neither wikipedia nor Android are the arbiters for how words get used. I am claiming that we should shun Android's definition since it is self-serving/and deteimental to society.
See for reference these two definitions on wiktionary: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sideload
Anyone using the 2nd definition without criticizing it is supporting big tech. It is not a high bar to ask people to think critically about the words they use.
Sunshine@lemmy.ca · 67 pts · 1d
Android is becoming garbage.
kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 40 pts · 1d
Yeah Lets hope linux phones pick up speed because of this. Having a fully free and open os for mobile would be great but I fear it is still a few years away.
erebion@news.erebion.eu · 31 pts · 1d
It's rapidly getting better.
What we need are phones with hardware that has full mainline kernel support. That way distros would just have to ship a dwvice tree file if that is not upstream yet, not a completely custom kernel with hundreds of patches that becomes trash shortly after buying due to lack of updates.
inari@piefed.zip · 16 pts · 1d
pmOS on Fairphone 6 can't come fast enough
Sunshine@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1d
I can’t wait for the stable release!
mintiefresh@piefed.ca · 13 pts · 1d
It definitely has gotten worse with every update for awhile. They keep taking things that made Android great away.
We need an alternative. Linux to the rescue I dare say.
gandalf_der_13te@feddit.org · 0 pts · 15h
I think a de-googled android would be good. Android at its core (Android Open Source Project) is actually a good project from a user-experience point of view. the app navigation and all that makes a whole lot of sense. We'd lose that if we switch to pure linux.
just google has to be entirely removed from the operating system.
Cris_Citrus@piefed.zip · 8 pts · 1d
Happy lemmy anniversary, its always lovely to see you around sunshine :)
Sunshine@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1d
Thank you Cris! Here’s to 2 years! Have a slice of the cake!
Cris_Citrus@piefed.zip · 2 pts · 15h
Ooooh cake ☺️☺️
Have a wonderful day/night! ❤️
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · 8 pts · 1d
🌍🧑🚀🔫
hanrahan@slrpnk.net · 3 pts · 15h
indeed , it's becoming Apple.
FoxAlive@lemmy.zip · 64 pts · 1d
It was something like 70% of all malware originates from the google play store. Yet to make you safe you can't download apps outside of google play.
Lol.
imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 8 pts · 1d
It's not to make you safe. It is to Co troll what you download. As a side effect, you also are restricted to install cracked apps e.g. Revanced apps.
Nobody cared about viruses and nobody will. They just state so for normies to believe and agree.
FoxAlive@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 1d
Oh trust me buddy I know.
gedfromgont@piefed.ca · 59 pts · 1d
Its a shit process. If they'd just get rid of the 24h countdown it be bearable. But thats exactly the tactic, isn't it, make it as shitty as you can, then you dial it back just a notch so people feel like that is better, even though it is still worse than the original process.
LodeMike@lemmy.today · 11 pts · 1d
Does changing your system time work?
hansolo@lemmy.today · 15 pts · 1d
No. It likely looks for external timekeeping from a carrier.
It also only gives you a 1 hour window when the 24 are done to turn on sideloading. So set an alarm.
8uurg@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 1d
That one hour window did me in and had to wait another 24. The option is nearly impossible to find, there is no notification when the timer has completed, and there is no indication that you only have an hour ahead of time. I think this qualifies as the option not existing for the average person, even when told about it.
hansolo@lemmy.today · 11 pts · 1d
It takes the dedication of a FOSS enthusiast or a scammer out for money. Which is why it's not really meant to work stopping scams.
digger@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 1d
It didn't on my phone.
Bell@lemmy.world · 58 pts · 1d
Enshitification intensifies
mesamunefire@piefed.social · 28 pts · 1d
Its just Linux too. This is a very stupid thing and will only accelerate true linux phones becoming popular.
cybernihongo@reddthat.com · 27 pts · 1d
I was wondering when this would come. Even popped open DuckDuckGo and searched for Android news, yet this completely escaped the radar.
I've already removed the verifier and safetycore apps and installed stubs in their place. I also already had Shizuko and now I have gained root access on top of it without unlocking the bootloader.
Google may fuck themselves.
massacre@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 20h
If you are going this far why not Graphene or CalyxOS? Genuine interest...
cybernihongo@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 16h
Because I have access to neither on my Xiaomi phone. I do have access to other custom ROMs though but unlocking the bootloader will wipe my data. As soon as I'm ready, I'm considering LineageOS or any of the other available ROMs.
Arghblarg@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1d
Is this a good solution doing what you describe? I might need to try it on my wife's Pixel 9 w/stock OS.
https://github.com/slopgirl/android-safety-stubs
cybernihongo@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 16h
I have not used this particular repo but from what I read, it does what it should be doing, replace the real hidden apps with placeholder stubs that have version 2000000 or something to that effect. You should be good with this one. Make sure to read all of the readme carefully, particularly the uninstall methods.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone · 21 pts · 1d
that's why i installed graphene on my phone and turned off updates on my tablet so i'm still on android 15
Canuck@sh.itjust.works · 18 pts · 1d
Google installs the module silently in the background automatically if you have Play Services, it is not related to your OS version. It can be removed with adb, or in some cases disabled
UnrefinedChihuahua@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 1d
Even on graphene?
Squirrelanna@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 10 pts · 1d
IIRC Graphene has Play Services sandboxed specifically to avoid stuff like that but I'm still learning about how it all works slowly.
UnrefinedChihuahua@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 1d
Yeah same here.
BeardedBlaze@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1d
GrapheneOS CAN have play services, which get sandbox. By default though, no play services.
Squirrelanna@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 1d
Thank you for clarifying!
BeardedBlaze@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1d
GrapheneOS comes with no play services out of the box.
Psythik@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1d
Yes but they didn't say they installed GrapheneOS on their tablet, just their phone.
Aneb@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 22h
I use aurora store but also fdroid, and I sometimes download for github I haven't stopped auto updates for GrapheneOS tho
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 17 pts · 1d
How is this legal? Serious question, how can it be legal for a company to dictate what I install on my own computing devices?
Dobtngive me the security crap, that is just a cheap excuse
Michal@programming.dev · 15 pts · 1d
Wait till you hear about iPhone!
jumping_redditor@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1d
Probably the same ways cars are mobile computers with no access for the owner.
Lemmchen@feddit.org · 13 pts · 1d
https://lineageos.org/Developer-Verification/
https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/android-developer-verification.html
shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip · 11 pts · 1d
Shit like this is why I run lineage OS and there's a very good chance that my next phone is going to be running post-market OS and not Android at all.
godsammitdam@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 1d
Oh, I forgot that was happening now. Because I'm not on a closed OS and can download whatever I want. You can be too, fuck Google.
gandalf_der_13te@feddit.org · 4 pts · 15h
Google has declared that they intend to stop making a useful mobile operating system.
RunawayFixer@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 16h
Google would rather block potential competition than attempt to fix their own product.
So the Playstore sucks and it burns too many of their potential customers, resulting in churn instead of retention. Consequently it has seen very little growth since Covid: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/google-play-statistics/ . The potential for growth was there though, as can be seen with the apple app store: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/apple-app-store-statistics/
And as a cherry on top, Google has recently started billing cc chargeback fees to developers. I don't know a single other large digital shop platform that does this. More costs and more administration for Devs, which will make the Playstore even less attractive for hobby Devs with a niche passion project.
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · -13 pts · 1d
Anybody who has an opinion about these things and doesn't just accept everything Big Tech throws at thems saw (something like this) developing for years, nay decades, and had plenty of time to move on. So who exactly "hates it" now? I suspect it's the typical Android App developer who always has one eye on monetization and is therefore willing to accept a lot of shit from the OS they're devleoping for.
Not that I don't agree with them.
gedfromgont@piefed.ca · 15 pts · 1d
Sorry, do you mean developers or users, and where exactly do you think one can move to? IPhones? GrapheneOS is still restricted to Pixels and while the Motorolla collab is starting up they already announced that they start with flagship type phones, meaning expensive.
A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · -7 pts · 1d
These are by far not the only options.
Wait, you didn't even mention LineageOS? Since it doesn't come with Gapps/Playstore it's unaffected by any of this.
nullspace@lemmy.world · -29 pts · 1d
I know I'm going against the current here, but I don't think this is a bad change at all. It's a step to protect normies from themselves who, despite how inconceivable it is to fall for this kind of scam, are actually even dumber than that.
I do think it's reasonable to be worried about future changes that further restrict sideloading. It's often how these restrictions are slowly implemented. But where it's at now with this change in particular I'm cool with.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone · 33 pts · 1d
most normies get malware from the play store not sideloading.
TheFrirish@tarte.nuage-libre.fr · 8 pts · 1d
normies don't even know the word sideloading lol
ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net · 29 pts · 1d
Normies keep falling for scams all the time. They fall for scam on windows, over the phone and in person. We generally try to come up with rules that protect normies without overly complicating lives for everyone else. Like I have to go to a bank personally to increase single transaction limit over certain amount but I don't have unlock some secret options and wait 24 hours every time I want to wire money to a new account.
A warning saying "this app is not trusted, don't install it if someone else instructed you to do so" would be enough here. Advanced users should be able to disable this warning. That's it.
nullspace@lemmy.world · -2 pts · 1d
A lot of services will do the verification step where it sends a few cents to and from a newly linked account which can take 1-3 business days. You only do it the one time. It's a small speed bump that prevents millions of dollars in fraud every year.
To me this change to sideloading is a very similar speed bump. You do it the one time then set it to allow sideloading indefinitely. That's where it's at now.
If they move to extend the delay or strip out the "indefinite" option then yeah, freak the fuck out and grab some pitchforks because that's not good at all. But where this specific change is at I see it as more anti-fraud than anti-consumer.
Feyd@programming.dev · 27 pts · 1d
Installing apks isn't even how normies get scammed, and there are tons of malicious apps on the play store itself. This is an anticonsumer, anticompetitive power grab, plain and simple. Users should be able to do whatever they want with their expensive pocket computers and any other opinion is shameful corporate bootlicking.
edible_funk@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 1d
My device that I own shouldn't be able to prevent me from using it however I wish, especially just because a bunch of people are too stupid and will break their own shit. Fuck em.
hansolo@lemmy.today · 4 pts · 1d
Ugh. You're not wrong, but I wouldn't say you're really "right" here either.
Scammers will find a way around this. They always do. But it puts a significant, real burden on people that own their devices and want to things perfectly within legal and social norms. In a legal sense, it "limits enjoyment of one's own property." Which is the same kind of term used for when the stink from a pig farm makes it impossible to go outside. The pork lobby doesn't make the decision to keep the farm, a local judge does because it's about the individual not allowed to use their property how they like.
This limits my enjoyment of my property, and doesn't actually solve any real problems. It's an excuse to lock down the OS for closed commercial use.