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The play store provides value on Android even though you can install any apps you find on the internet. The platform didn't get in your way in that regard.

Google services have recently made it very hard to distribute APKs through means other than their store though. Gmail blocks APK attachments for example.




>>The platform didn't get in your way in that regard.

Modern version of Andriod are less and less Free.

With every new version they move features and service out of AOSP and into Google "Play" Services.

Most of what people think about when they think of an "Android" phone is not the base OS anymore, it is Play Services

I think they are doing this for 2 reasons, one I believe they are wanting to drop both their Java Dependency and their Linux Dependency at some point


How "very hard to distribute APKs"? I don't think so. Blocking .apk on Gmail is similar thing for blocking .exe.




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