Is there an alternative app store on Android? We should maybe lobby to make this Apple Google duopoly illegal. In my opinion those companies make crazy money by gatekeeping phones and spying.
There are, but Google put limitations in Android so that third parties can't implement all of the features the Play Store has. You can't implement automatic upgrades, background installation, or the batch installs that the Play Store provides.
I think the distinction is not Google vs. others but preinstalled (can do everything) vs. sideloaded (e.g. Epic/Amazon, can't do background install/update).
Is that because users are free to install a different store, or because manufacturers are able to implement their own specially-privileged store as well?
