SmartTube
TL;DR Google has disabled the SmartTube app on various Android TV devices.
The developer subsequently revealed that their digital signature was exposed, posing a security threat to SmartTube users.
The developer is working on a new version of the app with a new digital signature, but this will be a separate app rather than an update.
SmartTube is arguably the most popular alternative to the YouTube app on Android TV, offering a variety of handy features and options. In fact, I prefer this app to the official YouTube client on TVs. Unfortunately, it looks like Google has disabled the app on Android TV.
Android TV owners reported this week that Google Play Protect has disabled SmartTube on their devices. Devices affected by this problem include the NVIDIA Shield TV, Walmart Onn boxes, Sony and TCL TVs, and more. It also looks like Amazon’s Fire OS-based devices have blocked the third-party YouTube app. I can indeed confirm that the app has been disabled on my Shield TV tube and disappeared from my home screen and app drawer.
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Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be a false positive, as SmartTube developer yuliskov confirmed on GitHub and Patreon that their digital signature was exposed.
“This signature protects the app from fake and malicious updates, so there is a risk that someone may try to release counterfeit versions under my name,” the developer explained. They added that they’ve decided to switch to a new digital signature, which will also result in the app’s identifier changing.
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