Google does indeed use Google Play Services to gate-keep the Ecosystem while keeping Android technically FOSS. Still better than Apple in this case, but hey… would you rather be hanged or beheaded?
No but many of them. Play Services gets more and more functions that used to be part of the Android operating system. Some very basic functionalities are assisted GPS or Push notifications.
True. I have a Samsung, which does do some shitty ass things like remove the option to turn off data access to apps, but even they allow “sideloading” (I don’t even like that term – it’s just installing software in the normal way to me)
Most Android components can technically be FOSS, but the it’s monolythic nature makes it very hard to get from those FOSS benefits.
Best example is TV using Android, phone using Android, but cannot change the interface without hacking half-baked thing like custom ROM.
So? Companies can and have removed features like that at the behest of some dickwad in power. Don’t take anything for granted. We need to heavily regulate them. Or hell take games. Capcom is currently adding DRM to 12+year old games. Garbage like that should be forbidden by law instead of relying on shitstorms to get companies to comply.
Ok, but Android wouldn’t have to allow sideloading by that logic, yet…
Google does indeed use Google Play Services to gate-keep the Ecosystem while keeping Android technically FOSS. Still better than Apple in this case, but hey… would you rather be hanged or beheaded?
Not all Android apps use Play Services, do they?
No but many of them. Play Services gets more and more functions that used to be part of the Android operating system. Some very basic functionalities are assisted GPS or Push notifications.
Android is not a company though, it’s FOSS. Google could ban it on their branch I suppose.
True. I have a Samsung, which does do some shitty ass things like remove the option to turn off data access to apps, but even they allow “sideloading” (I don’t even like that term – it’s just installing software in the normal way to me)
Most Android components can technically be FOSS, but the it’s monolythic nature makes it very hard to get from those FOSS benefits. Best example is TV using Android, phone using Android, but cannot change the interface without hacking half-baked thing like custom ROM.
So? Companies can and have removed features like that at the behest of some dickwad in power. Don’t take anything for granted. We need to heavily regulate them. Or hell take games. Capcom is currently adding DRM to 12+year old games. Garbage like that should be forbidden by law instead of relying on shitstorms to get companies to comply.
I’m not taking it for granted. It was just an observation of fact.