TikTok Wants Android Users To Sideload Its App (techcrunch.com) 5
With TikTok's U.S. ban temporarily paused, the company is encouraging Android users to sideload its app by downloading it directly from TikTok.com as an APK file, bypassing the Google Play Store. TechCrunch reports: The Android app download is being made available as an Android Package Kit, more commonly known as an APK file, which contains the app's code, assets, and other resources that TikTok needs to run. By offering a standalone download, TikTok can at least temporarily skirt the current app store ban, which still prevents both Google Play and Apple's App Store from hosting the app while the ban's enforcement remains paused.
Re: (Score:2)
before iPhones, this was the normal way to put software on phones.
Re: (Score:2)
That route is kind of a pain for getting software updates and checking signatures. But we didn't do either of those very much in the old days.
Having a virus on a PC with dial-up Internet (or no internet at all) wasn't quite as bad as compared to having malware on a device that is constantly connected with access to your phone number and potentially the ability to slurp 2FA SMS messages up while monitoring your app usage through the built-in telemetry in Android.
What about other stores? (Score:2)
Could they also upload their app to independent stores outside the reach of US regulations? Mostly that means Aptoide (offices in Lisbon and Shenzen). That would have an advantage for ByteDance that they can push updates and assume users will get them (while you can't assume today's youngsters to repeatedly download and install APKs manually).
EPIC (Score:2)
To be fair, Epic said the exact same thing about Fortnite (android sideloading), but I doubt people will take the same issue to that as they're inevitably going to take with TikTok.