The reason that Google got ruled against originally was that they were paying and offering incentives to developers to keep them from releasing their apps on other app stores.
Comment on Google seeks to undo Epic Games antitrust win over app store
thingsiplay@beehaw.org 4 months ago
I just want to play games.
dracs@programming.dev 4 months ago
Den_The_Grem@beehaw.org 4 months ago
I think the difference is that on a PC, the barrier to installing Epic or GOG is the same as Steam, but with phones and tablets, the operating system itself does everything it can to scare you away from installing an “unofficial” app. There have been plenty of bad actors on the Play Store, but Google is fine pretending like their store is fine and secure. The fact is, we live in a world where most people take the least path of resistance, and Google is using their money and power to incentivize manufacturers and end-users into certain behaviors, and that harms smaller companies from being able to properly compete.
thingsiplay@beehaw.org 4 months ago
But that is a decision the user takes, not Google. If people don’t want to install alternative stores because its too much work, then its not Googles fault. The problem is that phone manufactures do not have the alternative stores installed (besides Samsung). Its entirely in the hands of phone manufacturers and they should be sued over, not Google.
HK65@sopuli.xyz 4 months ago
Google has agreements with the manufacturers that prevent or heavily disincentivize the manufacturers from doing that, otherwise they essentially can’t use Android.
thingsiplay@beehaw.org 4 months ago
In that case, its all Google I agree.