Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
For years, one of the biggest talking points in the Android vs. iOS debate has been freedom of choice -- and nothing summed that up more than sideloading.
"But iOS is a walled garden. Apple controls what you can and can't install on your hardware." If I had a dime for every time an Android user said this argument to settle which mobile platform is the best, I'd be lying in a pool of dimes as I type.
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One of the last major differences between Android and iOS is not dead, but it's definitely coming to an end, with Google deciding that Apple's way was the best all along.
I'm talking about sideloading -- the ability to install apps from unverified developers, bypassing Google's Play Store. The argument made by Google is pretty much the same one Apple has used for years: Security.
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"Following recent attacks, including those targeting people's financial data on their phones, we've worked to increase developer accountability to prevent abuse," writes Suzanne Frey, VP of Product, Trust and Growth for Android.
"We've seen how malicious actors hide behind anonymity to harm users by impersonating developers and using their brand image to create convincing fake apps. The scale of this threat is significant: Our recent analysis found over 50 times more malware from internet-sideloaded sources than on apps available through Google Play."
Developer verification
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