Why is AdGuard not on Google Play?
adguard.com
AdGuard for Android is a powerful app that blocks ads and protects your privacy. But why it's not available on the Google Play Store? Read on to find out.

The article is AdGuard centric but it sheds light on the whole process where Google suddenly decided to ban ad blockers.

    •  glockenspiel   ( @glockenspiel@programming.dev ) English
      18•10 months ago

      For now. Google is locking down certificates in Android 14 which absolutely cannot be changed even by devs (barring exploits, which will be patched because this is Alphabet’s bread and butter on the line).

      Google has put into place infrastructure to lock apps down as well with its App Bundles to replace APKs. And, wouldn’t you know it, they just so happen to rely on Google to be functional and even built! Custom made for your device and configuration and account. What a coincidence that you can’t rip that off your device and widely share it without massive workarounds. And even then, with Google clamping down on CAs….

      People best become acquainted with ROMs again. Providing, of course, that Android doesn’t start employing anti-root tactics like Apple does which essentially eliminates the possibility of almost everybody actually owning their devices.

      •  BlinkerFluid   ( @BlinkerFluid@lemmy.one ) English
        8•10 months ago

        Guess I’ll get a Linux-based phone(please don’t make me argue about semantics on Android being Linux or not when we both know what I mean). By the time it matters, they’ll be decent enough. I don’t really live with the same sort of technological necessity as most people.

      •  Rikudou_Sage   ( @rikudou@lemmings.world ) OP
        5•10 months ago

        Google is locking down certificates in Android 14 which absolutely cannot be changed even by devs

        Hopefully Firefox adds an easy way to add a certificate. They had it already, never understood why they removed it.

        Google has put into place infrastructure to lock apps down as well with its App Bundles to replace APKs

        I don’t think they can replace APKs with AABs as the only solution - EU wants them to have support for alternative stores. In theory they could do separate Android for EU and the rest of the world, but I don’t think they will.

      •  𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘   ( @01189998819991197253@infosec.pub ) English
        3•10 months ago

        This is a good thing. Or, can be. Android exists due to the lacks that existed/exists in iOS. With those same limitations coming to android, something new, something better will come. Maybe something like the current Linux phones, but with increased support that will come from the exodus. Like Lemmy stagnating for a while, then suddenly becoming close to amazing due to the Reddit enshitification, so will come this new generation of smartphones due to the enshitification of Android and iOS. It could be good. It could be much worse. Time will tell.