Apps & Services
Google Warns Against Sideloading Android Apps: Sundar Pichai Cites Malware Risks
Regarding the premium that Google demands from app developers, the firm is engaged in a court dispute in the US. The corporation accused Epic Games, the creators of Fortnite, of suppressing competition by filing a lawsuit. The case heard testimony from Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, on Tuesday, November 14. Why sideloading apps on Android phones is prohibited was emphasized by the company’s senior executive. Android’s ability to enable sideloading of programs on devices, which iOS does not, is one of the main differences between the two operating systems.
Due to Apple’s inability to thoroughly screen programs that are downloaded from sources other than the App Store, sideloading apps increases the risk that malware may be installed on your iPhone. For this reason, Apple does not permit sideloading of apps. Pichai chose to utilize the opportunity to discuss his company’s position on side-loading applications and the reason he doesn’t recommend consumers install apps on their Android phones in this manner. Furthermore, he said, “We don’t want to allow you to completely compromise your phone. It can install malware on your phone. It can really compromise your safety very significantly.”
The corporation is obviously trying to play on people’s fears, as seen by the fact that he discusses viruses while installing programming from other app shops. Indeed, with the Play Protect function on Android, it has only begun to examine sideloaded applications. In addition to Pichai’s plea for security, Apple has long opposed sideloading applications, as it will not be able to regulate how or where these apps are loaded onto the iPhone. Although a recent security analysis from Kaspersky detailed how 600 million fraudulent app downloads have been seen in Google’s applications store in 2023 itself, the company maintains that Play Store apps offer the highest protection for customers.
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The reasons Apple forbids sideloading should be clear to anyone who criticizes iOS for being a walled garden. However, DMA (the EU’s Digital Markets Act) might compel Apple to permit sideloading, at least in the 27 EU member nations. Speaking in a similar tone to Tim Cook and company, Pichai now seems to be acknowledging that the two digital behemoths are aware of the thirty percent fee that each receives from developers who host their programs on their own app stores. With all this, we now have an answer to why companies like Epic Games have chosen to host their games on a website instead of distributing them via app stores.
