[013a]

You can install android apps or chrome extensions from any source, not just the Google-managed store.

This sounds minor, but its absolutely a major reason why the stores aren't monopolies. I find it startling how few people on HN remember the fact that stores have a right to decide what they want to sell and not. We don't live in communist Russia. Walmart doesn't have to sell Whole Foods-branded food, H&M doesn't have to sell Mossimo clothes, Amazon doesn't have to sell Nest thermostats, Apple doesn't have to sell Pixel devices in their stores, and Google doesn't have to sell Adblocking software.

In every single one of these cases, its because the companies managing the stores have a business interest against selling the items.

Apple's case is different in a significant way. When they block a product from their store, they establish that none of the users on their systems are able to get the item legally. However, they can still use the argument that iOS is only one platform among any mobile platforms, they don't have a massive marketshare, and they aren't taking any actions in the realm of mobile platform adoption which could be construed as hostile against competition.

[paulmd]

Much like obstruction of justice, anticompetitive behavior is an intent that transforms behavior that would otherwise be perfectly legal into something that is not.

It is perfectly legal for Amazon to decide they don't want to carry Apple products in their store. If they decide they don't want to carry Apple products because they're releasing their own lines of phones and tablets, that may not be legal. Intent and context do matter.

[tekknik]

You can also install ios apps by sideloading, it’s existed since at least ios9. Valve could release the binary and allow users to self install with just a drag and drop in itunes.

[emodendroket]

If you're willing not only to download sideload apps but also to modify your device so you can have root access, then it works. So not really different from Apple.

[013a]

You don't need to get root on an android device to sideload apps, unless the app has specific functionality that requires root. You don't need to break anything about the system or your warranty. Its just a toggle in the settings menu.

[emodendroket]

Adblock needs root to work as intended though.

[lern_too_spel]

No, you just implement VpnService.

[tekknik]

you don’t need root to sideload in ios either

[cblades]

This is absolutely not the case. I can install any app-store app I'd like, and it can install apps on my phone. I can even download raw apk file and install them myself.

[emodendroket]

But we're talking about AdBlock specifically, which needs root privileges.

[lern_too_spel]

You don't need root to install a working ad blocker.

[emodendroket]

According to the AdBlock Plus page not all features work without root.

[lern_too_spel]

Any features that require root would still require root if installed from the Play Store. That is not relevant to the argument that you can always install things blocked from the Play Store by getting them from other sources.

Moreover, the ad blocking features you get without root are a strict superset of the features that are possible at all on iOS.

[emodendroket]

It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software.

[lern_too_spel]

> It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software.

You can do it without "circumventing the system software." Unlocking the system partition is a supported operation. Then just install a program that lets you run other programs as uid 0. This is not possible for normal apps to do because running as uid 0 means you are no longer subject to the permissions system.

Also, it's irrelevant because the whole point is that Google can't block the user from running whatever apps they like by blocking the app from the Play Store. Requiring root access is orthogonal to Play Store availability.