US TikTok Ban Shows Why Android’s Openness Matters

TikTok is no longer available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store in the U.S., but thanks to Android’s openness, users can still download it directly from TikTok’s website.

This ability to sideload apps is one of Androids biggest strengths. It means we don’t have to rely on App Store policies which can sometimes be too authoritarian for my liking.

For TikTok creators who rely on the platform for their livelihood, this is a game-changer. Believe it or not, there are creators out there who live on TikTok earnings and in times like these they would appreciate Android.

While iPhone users are stuck with browser-based workarounds, Android users can keep using the full app experience.

Imagine if a more essential service – like banking, messaging, or productivity apps – faced similar restrictions. Android’s flexibility would become even more crucial.

Could this situation push more U.S. users toward Android? It’s unlikely to cause a massive shift overnight, but if app store bans become more common, the ability to sideload might make Android more appealing – especially to those who don’t want Big Tech deciding which apps they can and can’t use.

Apple dictatorship undermined

I found the following story funny. The Hot Tub adult content browser, the first Apple-approved porn app for iPhone, launched in Europe earlier this month via the AltStore PAL marketplace.

Apple has historically banned pornographic content from its App Store, citing a moral responsibility to keep such material off iPhones, as stated by Steve Jobs.

The EU’s Digital Markets Act has enabled greater freedom for iPhone users to install alternative apps, allowing the distribution of apps like Hot Tub.

Apple expressed concerns about the safety risks posed by hardcore porn apps, particularly for children, emphasizing that they do not approve of the Hot Tub app.

Here is what an Apple spokesperson had to say:

We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world. Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.

See, the developers of the dirty app marketed it as Apple-approved. They meant it could be installed legally onto iPhones by virtue of its listing on the AltStore PAL. However, they made it seem like Apple personally looked it over and gave a thumbs up. Hence why Apple was furious.

AltStore PAL, launched in April 2024, has expanded to include various apps and utilities, including game emulators and torrenting software, previously banned by Apple.

That right there is why I approve of the Hot Tub availability. I don’t like that the app or similar dirty apps will be easily available in some regions. However, I also hate authoritarian rule that would block them.

It’s easy to support it when it’s used to block something you would like to see banned. However, you are forced to fight Apple’s dictator ways when something you believe should be available is banned.

Apple’s emulator ban has always irked me and there could be some other important-to-you stuff that they banned too. To get that, the likes of Hot Tub have to be free to do their thing too.