Android 15 shrinks app sideloading! Apple has opened up, so why is Google so "rebellious"?

Since the establishment of the two major mobile operating system camps of Android and iOS, the two sides have completely different attitudes towards sideloading of third-party applications. The former embraces a vast open market, while the latter completely prohibits it.

As Apple opened sideloading to Europe under the "coercion" of the European Union, things began to go more and more out of control.

Recently, Samsung held a Galaxy Unpacked event and officially released two new folding screen phones, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. With their excellent configuration and Galaxy AI functions, they are very popular among consumers. However, technology media Android Authority discovered after hands-on experience that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 equipped with OneUI 6.1.1 do not allow sideloading by default, which means that the Android camp may further reduce support for non-certified third-party applications. .

(Source: Samsung)

Whether sideloading is enabled or not is closely related to users and developers. After all, for some consumers, a device’s attitude towards third-party applications, determines their desire to purchase. Today, Android and iOS are developing in opposite directions. How much impact will the change in strategy have on us consumers?

Enabled by default, Samsung will prohibit sideloading

As early as the release of OneUI 6.0, Samsung provided the option of "Automatic Interceptor". When the user enables this option, all without the permission of Samsung or Apps verified by Google will be prohibited from being installed on the device. At this time, the "automatic interceptor" is only a function that exists in security and privacy, and is not the default setting.

Up to OneUI 6.1.1, which is the system version that comes with Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, "Automatic Interceptor" has become the option turned on by default, which means that users do not have to go through Applications from unknown sources cannot be installed without any custom modifications. Of course, although this option is turned on by default, Samsung does not prohibit users from turning it off, so we just need to find this option and turn it off.

(Source: Gizchina)

In fact, Samsung’s move also followed Google’s call, and it added “Enhanced Confirmation Mode” in the Android 15 Beta 1 version. That is the enhanced confirmation mode. In this mode, the system will strictly monitor the situation of unknown source applications calling system permissions, and regularly summarize them to users to remind them of possible risks.

As we all know, Android has always been open to third-party applications, which has resulted in a large number of uncertified applications being able to run smoothly locally, and these applications are not monitored and are most likely to be used without the user's knowledge. Read important information below. Even if Google has enabled "Enhanced Confirmation Mode", it only monitors the usage permissions of these applications, and it is difficult to help users avoid corresponding risks.

(Source: 9to5google)

Therefore, Samsung took the lead and turned on the "automatic interceptor" by default in the new version of the system, which can at least help some users who don't know much about mobile phones to avoid information. Risk of leakage. Frankly speaking, overseas Samsung stores plus Google Play store can actually meet the needs of most users to download applications, but there will always be some users who need to use special applications for work and scientific research. This demand is actually relatively difficult to solve. .

In addition to Samsung, many mobile phone brands have already taken different measures to install applications from unknown sources. For example, Xiaomi has added the "Application Measure Management" option to ThePaper OS. These applications cannot install other applications without the user's permission, and refuse induced installation and chain startup; brands such as vivo and OPPO have also added security and privacy options. Risk application control, only if the user manually turns off the control can the risk application be installed.

To put it bluntly, freedom and openness have always been the characteristics of Android, and it is also the basis for Google to compete with Apple. To completely ban sideloading on Android will undoubtedly break both arms. But Google will not sit still. Samsung’s OneUI 6.1.1 strategy this time clearly demonstrates the determination of the Android Alliance to fight malware. As for whether this approach is good or bad, it may take time to test.

Restricted or open? Google and Apple give different answers

與三星（Google）的策略保持相反的是，蘋果在iOS系統中逐步開放了應用側載的功能。為何兩個主要的行動作業系統平台在側載問題上走向了相反的道路？

歸根結底，市場策略和使用者需求的差異是關鍵原因。蘋果一直以來以其封閉的生態系統著稱，嚴格控制應用的來源和品質。然而，隨著監管環境的變化和用戶對應用自由度需求的增加，蘋果開始逐步開放側載，以回應市場和用戶的需求。例如，歐盟的《數位市場法案》（DMA）要求蘋果開放其係統，允許用戶安裝第三方應用商店和側載應用，以增強市場競爭力。這項政策變化不僅是對市場需求的回應，也是為了避免可能面臨的法律風險和罰款。

（圖源：9to5Mac）

而安卓系統一直以來相對開放，允許用戶自由安裝第三方應用。開放性也帶來了安全和穩定性的問題，隨著安卓設備的普及，安全問題日益突出。三星選擇在其旗艦產品上預設限制側載，反映了Android在平衡開放性與安全性、穩定性之間的努力。實際上，Android裝置的開放性使得其更容易成為惡意軟體攻擊的目標。根據G Data的報告，光是2023年上半年，Android設備就偵測到超過100萬種新的惡意軟體變種，這數字較前幾年大幅上升。

此外，Google和三星之間的合作也在推動這項變革。谷歌希望透過更嚴格的應用程式安裝控制，提升安卓裝置的整體安全性和使用者體驗，進而增強其在市場上的競爭力。三星作為安卓設備的主要廠商之一，自然也希望透過這種方式提升其設備的競爭力和用戶滿意度。

與iOS的「被迫」不同，Google在2017年就開始部署未驗證應用安全性相關的策略，從Google Play Protect的功能升級開始，將其識別範圍擴展至側載安裝的第三方應用，其能夠掃描側載應用是否包含惡意程式碼。當然，只是升級保護程序，其實能提供的防護十分有限，經過幾年時間的發展，Google也終於在系統層級設定的對未知來源應用的限制。

（圖源：Piunika Web）

對於開放側載，蘋果也沒有持支持的態度。雖說iOS已經在歐洲市場開放了側載，但無論是從開發者的角度還是用戶的角度，想要安裝第三方應用，難度和風險都相當大。而蘋果方也始終沒有表示過會對這些未知來源的應用「負責」，也就是說，假如歐洲地區的用戶執意要下載未知來源的應用，那麼很可能需要自己承擔相應的風險。

不過，Android和iOS之間選擇了不同的路，和我們用戶到底有何關係呢？

限制側載，有利有弊

Android的開放態度則吸引到「極客」們的關注，只因能夠下載更多高自由度的應用程序，如今要走向限制側載，究竟是好事還是壞事呢？

對於使用者而言，限制側載這件事其實有利也有弊。有利的方面自然是安全、穩定，畢竟應用程式商店裡的應用程式都是經過Google或官方驗證，基本上不會出現惡意程式碼或不相容的問題。市場研究公司的數據顯示，大部分用戶更傾向於使用官方應用程式商店提供的應用，因為這些應用程式經過嚴格審核，品質和安全性更有保障。用戶不必擔心因安裝不受信任的應用程式而導致系統崩潰或資料外洩。

（圖片來源：Google）

但對於有特殊需求的使用者而言，限制側載並不是一件好事。根據一項市場調查，約有45%的高級用戶認為限制側載會影響他們的使用體驗，特別是在測試和開發新應用時。同時，部分特殊的從業人員和專業人士所用到的應用程式比較小眾，很難依照官方需求定期維護更新，這也可能導致應用程式被下架，使用者無法使用。

從長遠來看，Google並不會急於將側載徹底關閉，而是透過加強本地安全防護與限制側載的雙重保護，來減少風險。然而，Google如何在安全與自由之間找到平衡，這才是關鍵。目前來說，小雷還是更傾向於中國品牌對安全防護的理解，小米、vivo、OPPO、榮耀等一眾廠商都算是維持了安全與自由之間的平衡。

（圖片來源：三星）

值得一提的是，HarmonyOS NEXT預計在今年會面向所有用戶開放，該系統也與iOS到現今市場的變化與鴻蒙生態的高速發展需求，華為會做出怎樣的選擇，或許對iOS、Android未來的發展方向有重要的參考意義。

無論是選擇何種方式，最終還是要從用戶的使用體驗出發，假如要開放側載，那麼系統就要對第三方應用的權限嚴加監管，確保它們不會洩露用戶資料；如果選擇回到封閉系統，就要確保商店擁有豐富的應用資源。這樣一來，使用者才不會受到策略變化的影響。

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