Link: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/google-ordered-to-make-it-easier-to-download-alternative-android-app-stores/

While there is a link to the Play Store’s alternative app store page, it’s buried several levels deep in its confusing menus. Epic lawyer Yonatan Even showed the court that even searching for “app store” and “aptoide” didn’t show the intended results like any other search. Instead, the Play Store shows an “are you looking for” banner that links to the third-party app store page.

Google’s lawyers contended in the hearing that Epic had already agreed that app stores are in a special category due to their expanded permissions, so the extra step was appropriate. The court didn’t buy that explanation, though.

“That is not acceptable,” said Donato. “That has to be fixed. I want every possible variation that’s even only 70 percent properly phrased.”

From my own personal experience, I tried to download Aptoide and it downloaded a completely different app. It said it was Aptoide and then it was a weird sponsored product that showed up. Then when I searched again for Aptoide, it said that it wasn't available to download.

This is great, but at the same time I would hate it if my product owner came to me with something due in 1 week lol. Sprints are usually supposed to be 2 weeks long.

That's the PM's problem

Google should have been expecting this possibility for a long, long time.

Also Google can make this kind of change in a week easy.

Maybe it was a fake/scam app presented as Aptoide?

I really hope this also sinks Google's plan to lock down Android in the name of "security" (actually they just want Apple's walled garden).

It was from their search engine and listed as Altoide. It had to be google misrepresenting it or they have a really fucking serious problem that just happens to be the only time it ever happened, and an app they hate.

Quick, download more fresh breath!

listed as Altoide

Then that's obviously a scam.

I just checked myself, searching for "aptoide" results in a notification before the actual results that directs to the "third-party app store page" where I can download Aptoide Games (idk if that one's legit either, admittedly, but clearly they're developing a special system for this).

just happens to be the only time it ever happened

Play Store has been known for many years to host scam apps, copyright-infringing knockoffs, etc. Supposedly they have reined it in a bit recently, but it's extremely far from "the only time it ever happened".

When I search for "App Store" and click through Google's bullshit, Aptoide is still the only thing that comes up. Where are all the others, like F-Droid and Obtanium and whatnot?

(Also I'm salty that the term "app store" is winning even to describe Free Software repositories that don't stoop to being "stores," but never mind that.)

A store is where you keep something, like how a squirrel will store nuts for the winter.

Thats enough time to call Daddy Trumpf and fet this fixed in their favor

Aptoide Games

I just decided that rule #1 of naming a company should be that you can look at the name and immediately know how to pronounce it. “Aptoide” fails this test.

Yeah, but at least it sounds like an arbitrary search restriction they put in place, so taking that back out shouldn't be too difficult.

yeah but we use repository for that purpose now since store has been coopted