For context, App Lounge is the default store for e/OS. We recently got an update with some security patches, my phone has been upgraded to Android 16 and now the store has completly change. App Lounge used to get their apps from FDroid, now its a Google Sandbox???

did you try pushing open source and web apps only?

Most of my apps are from Droid-ify, second place being FDroid. I only have a couple of default apps from that store but now this is making me want to change them cause e/OS has changed. I don't like that honestly.

you know droidify is an fdroid client, right? there's no need to use both apps..

also from what i could tell app lounge was always intended to be the way to install playstore apps without foss alternatives like uber or your banking app or apps for work/school. at least thats how i always used it.

i see this change as neutral at best.

I know but for some season, Droidfy runs better on this phone than FDroid. I go back and forth between the two even though I get almost everything from Droidify

For an F-droid client I use Foxy Droid.
It has been discontinued ages ago but works very well

I was wondering what Foxy Droid was when I saw it in my Droidify store.

I really like Droidify because they have been doing amazing with updating the app. All of the repositories you wanna use are right there by just clicking on them if you wanna use them.

I don't think that's correct, I've been using /e/OS since the version 1.x.x era. The app store has always sourced from google play anonomuouslly and from FDroid. And there has always been an option to use a Google account if you wanted to for paid apps (never used that as I don't have Google accounts). It's not a change or a secret.

Ohhhh...

I can't remember what version I had of e/OS when i first joined, for some reason I just didnt remember seeing that (I don't use the store tbh).

I think AppLounge has multiple sources, which you can turn on and off. The default seems to be FDroid + Aurora

At this point i got rid of AppLounge by debloating and just get everything from Droid-ify. Might as well just go to the direct source, it just runs better.