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Ask HN
Ask HN: Genuine alternatives to Google and Apple for releasing paid apps
Obviously they both offer an incredible service but competition is always good!
Web Apps & PWAs :) There's a lot you can do to optimize offline PWA use.
It would be great to see an "app store" that drives discoverability of PWA apps.

Edit: googled and found this: https://store.app/

Handsome site, but doesn't seem very active sadly.

PWAs really struggle with distribution - it comes down to the PWA maker (or team) having enough charisma, alignment, and budget to get people to follow the kind of arcane instructions for installing each unique PWA.

  • jaggs
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  • 2 weeks ago
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But in most cases installing a PWA requires nothing more than 'Add to Home screen' in your mobile browser of choice. 5 seconds.
Trying not to be sneering here; most consumers consider this to be offensively difficult compared to the traditional app store experience - I had to do a lot of guides and handholding to get my PWA installed. But, Yea, true for us computer expert guys.
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  • 2 weeks ago
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On iPhones, Apple forbids third party appstores. You cannot also sideload. So that's a no go.

On Androids, I think you can install third party appstores. fdroid is the one I've heard before, but there could be more.

  • pabs3
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  • 2 weeks ago
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In the EU, iPhone users can install from alternative sources:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/117767

It's still not like Android though.

> All apps available through alternative app distribution are submitted to a Notarisation process with Apple.

>On iPhones, Apple forbids third party appstores. You cannot also sideload

Very sad state of affair considering we are progressing into the 2nd quarter of the 21st Century, and some people are not complaining but willingly embracing (paying) into this by design incapability in the name of security and convenience (read profit margins).

It's methaphorically like willingly living in a country with virtual great wall around with a benevelont dictator but it's one of the life choices that people voluntarily need to make nonetheless.

  • pabs3
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  • 2 weeks ago
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Interestingly, moving countries (to the EU) could get you the option to break out of Apple's great wall.
Most of these [0] started as desktop software but some have extended to mobile devices in ways that can interact via cloud with the version on your desktop, if I'm not mistaken.

[0] https://www.artisanalsoftwarefestival.com/

Ask Epic how that worked out with Fortnite...

As mentioned this is possible but not recommended for Android. I'm not sure if anyone is releasing paid apps outside of Play store though.

PWA Babyb~~~~