In case you did not know, Android fans have long been talking about a major benefit related to their mobile OS that Apple’s iOS doesn’t have. This is their ability to take part in the sideloading of apps not available on the Google Play Store.
However, they may have spoken too soon as South Korean tech giant Samsung is now equipping its latest Galaxy models with auto blockers. The news was confirmed yesterday after taking into consideration the many security risks that such actions bring forward.
The latest One UI 6.1.1 update means saying hello to the latest Auto Blocker feature that is switched on by default. It would ensure complete protection of the Galaxy phone and any data by stopping the downloads linked to apps from any sources considered unauthorized. Similarly, it would block any kind of suspicious activity that it detects.
Last year, Auto Blocker was first rolled out as a feature where users had to opt-in but now, that’s not the case as users would be opting out.
As spotted by Android Authority, there are two devices at the moment that feature pre-loaded Auto Blockers and that’s the Z series Galaxy Flip 6 and Fold 6. With time, we might see the list grow but as per the company right now, devices that upgrade from old variants of One UI to the latest 6.1.1 version will get settings preserved. This means they would still need to opt in to use the Auto Blocker as of right now.
In scenarios where users wish to opt out of the latest features on new Galaxy phones, they need to alter settings by going to security and privacy and switching it off. After that’s disabled, the feature of phone sideloading would return to normal again.
Users will need to contend with Android’s native protection to stop app sideloading. This entails giving permission for sideloading to any app that wishes to engage in this behavior.
Auto Blocker would put an end to commands and any updates done to software through USB cables and end malware images through messaging platforms.
For now, we know that one executive is not too happy with the news. And that’s the CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney. He says that such actions would leave him with no choice but to pull out both Fortnite and others from the latest Galaxy store to protect against the act of restricting app side-loading.
He feels such changes hinder users from downloading competing stores and that is a matter that they brought forward in a legal case against Google and won.
When questioned why he was so upset about the rollout, Sweeney shed light on the impact that such actions have. It introduces friction and can impact competitors’ viability. In the end, more than 50% of all users are deterred from installing through competing stores, and that reduces market accessibility by 50%.
His overall consensus is that it limits market competition and that warnings need to be rolled out only when the risk is clear-cut and very specific. As per the CEO, warnings that are equivalent to the risk at hand should only be considered.
Any software from legally accountable developers or those who have a great market name can be obstructed through the likes of warning alerts, he explained. Clearly, he’s not happy but we’re not sure if Samsung would be taking his points of view into consideration anytime soon.
Image: DIW
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However, they may have spoken too soon as South Korean tech giant Samsung is now equipping its latest Galaxy models with auto blockers. The news was confirmed yesterday after taking into consideration the many security risks that such actions bring forward.
The latest One UI 6.1.1 update means saying hello to the latest Auto Blocker feature that is switched on by default. It would ensure complete protection of the Galaxy phone and any data by stopping the downloads linked to apps from any sources considered unauthorized. Similarly, it would block any kind of suspicious activity that it detects.
Last year, Auto Blocker was first rolled out as a feature where users had to opt-in but now, that’s not the case as users would be opting out.
As spotted by Android Authority, there are two devices at the moment that feature pre-loaded Auto Blockers and that’s the Z series Galaxy Flip 6 and Fold 6. With time, we might see the list grow but as per the company right now, devices that upgrade from old variants of One UI to the latest 6.1.1 version will get settings preserved. This means they would still need to opt in to use the Auto Blocker as of right now.
In scenarios where users wish to opt out of the latest features on new Galaxy phones, they need to alter settings by going to security and privacy and switching it off. After that’s disabled, the feature of phone sideloading would return to normal again.
Users will need to contend with Android’s native protection to stop app sideloading. This entails giving permission for sideloading to any app that wishes to engage in this behavior.
Auto Blocker would put an end to commands and any updates done to software through USB cables and end malware images through messaging platforms.
For now, we know that one executive is not too happy with the news. And that’s the CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney. He says that such actions would leave him with no choice but to pull out both Fortnite and others from the latest Galaxy store to protect against the act of restricting app side-loading.
He feels such changes hinder users from downloading competing stores and that is a matter that they brought forward in a legal case against Google and won.
When questioned why he was so upset about the rollout, Sweeney shed light on the impact that such actions have. It introduces friction and can impact competitors’ viability. In the end, more than 50% of all users are deterred from installing through competing stores, and that reduces market accessibility by 50%.
His overall consensus is that it limits market competition and that warnings need to be rolled out only when the risk is clear-cut and very specific. As per the CEO, warnings that are equivalent to the risk at hand should only be considered.
Any software from legally accountable developers or those who have a great market name can be obstructed through the likes of warning alerts, he explained. Clearly, he’s not happy but we’re not sure if Samsung would be taking his points of view into consideration anytime soon.
Read next: OpenAI Enters The World Of Search With Its Latest SearchGPT Platform
