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by iforgotpassword 926 days ago
Where exactly can I download my bank's app as an APK? Except random shady websites...
2 comments

How is this a Google problem? Ask your bank.
They say I should use the app store.
So? Google isn’t forcing them to only publish on the Play Store.
Your point being? Maybe you want to read the comment I was replying to again:

> FWIW you don't really need an app store, you could download APKs off vendors/publishers.

Very evidently I do.

I don't doubt you used Googles app store to access the banks app (as would I), but it's not because of something Google forces you to do. It's because your bank put it there, and it's a very a convenient service for both you and your bank. Unlike the iPhone environment the bank had a choice in using the app store. They could have you side load it, or they could put it in an alternate app store, or hell they could open source it and use FDroid's app store.

It seems to me there is very little stopping there being a whole pile of competing Android app stores out there. Technically there's nothing stopping it in fact, as the existence of FDroid illustrates. It's purely a matter of convenience - which is the same thing that drives Chrome's dominance on Android despite there being better browsers available for free. The play store app is pre-installed and is almost a one stop stop for all the apps you could possibly want, so who is going to bother loading another app store?

Turns out that edge in convenience is enough to create an effective monopoly in app stores, for most people anyway.

Feel free to read about the case and how Google was not in fact just using convenience to maintain its status as the only App Store...
I did read it, I’m just not sure what are you suggesting? A law obligating everyone who publishes their apps to any app store to also provide an .apk?
Hahahaha, yes, let's rely on the famously tech savvy banks to securely distribute their app.
They seem to be pretty good considering I can't just hack someones bank account and fill my pockets.
probably still better than myfreebankapps.ru
APKmirror is not a shady random website. It's well established.