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MetaMask / metamask-mobile

Mobile web browser providing access to websites that use the Ethereum blockchain
https://metamask.io
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2.18k stars 1.12k forks source link

Provide APK downloads and PGP-sign them #1066

Open leafcutterant opened 5 years ago

leafcutterant commented 5 years ago

While I anticipate that most folk will download Metamask Mobile from the Apple Store and the Play Store without a second thought, it's important to make the app available outside of these companies' walled gardens. This helps us maintain the user's freedom and the values of decentralization, resilience and open access.

These few companies, who own almost all of the device market, hide behind the false narrative of providing safety to users to make their massive reach not only tolerated, but celebrated or even furthered by others. Many, both outside and inside crypto, find this narrative acceptable. No wonder as this is a powerful narrative that feeds upon our basic instincts of risk aversion and looking for authority figures.

But we know from history that this narrative is false and is used to subdue people and extend power. And this is not something new, the pattern has repeated many times, both outside and inside crypto:

Apple Removes Blockchain Bitcoin Wallet Apps from its App Stores ( Feb 6, 2014)

Google mysteriously removes cryptocurrency wallets from Play Store (September 13, 2018)

History serves us with the ultimate proof of why we need to maintain decentralization. It is in this spirit that I ask you to make the MM Mobile app accessible outside the app stores. As I can't speak for Apple users, my first request is to make the APK available as a separate download, preferably on your website. In order to enable users to verify the authenticity of these files on their own, I'd also like to ask you PGP-sign the releases.

Thank you for keeping crypto relevant.

xuhcc commented 5 years ago

I would like to add that some LineageOS users (including myself) just don't have Google Apps installed on their devices.

leafcutterant commented 5 years ago

Just to clarify, @xuhcc probably relates to the Google Play Store specifically (which I guess will be used to distribute MM Mobile). If you use LineageOS, you either flash a package of Google apps (that can include the Play Store) onto your device before the first boot, or else you won't be able to install any Google apps without reinstalling the whole operating system.

leafcutterant commented 4 years ago

I'll just leave this here for future reference:

"MetaMask Android client was suspended by the Google Play App Store" (December 26, 2019)