zlacker

>>kotaKa+(OP)
This has the potential to be disastrous for Google, but maybe not.

Personally: I don't use Apple because I like being able to whip together little apps to side-load without having to check in with a walled-garden mothership. If Google is going to move closer to Apple in that regard... Apple's UX ecosystem is better, so I have far fewer reason to keep using Android.

>>shadow+Jf
I suspect this won't be disastrous for Google, because where will people care about this go? Apple, who is even more restrictive? This is just another in a long series of incidents showing why we desperately need a real alternative to the mobile duopoly. I would ditch Android over this, but there's no realistic alternative available to me.

Damn the future sucks ass.

>>bigstr+sj
I think "disastrous" is a bit too strong of a word, but I don't see any "real" reasons mentioned here why it won't be. Sure, there are "cheap" phones that are (almost always) Android, it's also probably true that "most people" use those and wouldn't switch no matter what. But there are also Pixel phones, Samsung Galaxy phones, you know, what people call "flagships". Why people buy these? It's been a long time since they stopped being competitively cheaper they Apple. Even flagship Huawei phones now cost the same as an iPhone. Who buys them? Well, I did. Solely because I couldn't install software I want on iPhone. If I truly won't be able to install what I want on my Android phone — I don't know yet, how I'll deal with that issue (surely I'll figure it out) but I promise you — I'll buy an iPhone for the first time in my life, if only to say "fuck you" to Android. And I urge you to do the same. Vote with your wallet.