Are there any downsides to using the Aurora Store FOSS Google Play client?
<https://i.postimg.cc/NjkLvYdy/aurora01.jpg> it's a FOSS Google Play client
<https://i.postimg.cc/W3h4ZZTr/aurora02.jpg> it filters stuff Google won't
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg> it spoofs & updates as needed
etc.

This week I was helpfully assisting others (as I am wont to do) who ended up
creating a Google Account just to download an app off the Google repository.

Personally, I think that's just crazy for a whole bunch of reasons,
especially as the user complained he couldn't _find_ the apps he wanted on
Google Play (presumably because the tablet he was using is too old), and
that the one app he did find, says it contains ads (ads often show up weeks
later, for some of the more clever apps, so it's probably telling the truth)
and the user worried about updating the apps, and the user resisted creating
the bogus Google Account, etc. (none of which is needed with Aurora Store).

It seemed to me Aurora Store overcomes those issues handily (and many more).
In fact, I can't think of a single thing we'd want that Aurora doesn't do.

As far as I can tell, this FOSS Google Play client is a far better Google
Play client than the actual Google Play client is, for what it does.
<https://www.xda-developers.com/aurora-store-v4-update-sneak-peek-open-source-play-store-client/>

Having made that claim, I would like to ask others out there if they can
find _any_ downside at all in using the Aurora Store Google Play client?
--
As always, to answer this question requires intelligence & knowledge, and a
purposefully helpful heart, which, based on the FOSS thread, most posters
don't have so please do not pollute this thread with your off-topic trolls
if you don't contain those necessary three ingredients.

It's fine if nobody even understands the question, and it's fine if nobody
knows more than I do about the topic. Silence is better than your trolls.

This response, moments ago, to another thread, contains a ton of useful
screenshots which illustrate the power of Android FOSS Google Play clients.

If you know of _any_ downsides to these FOSS Google Play clients, please do
let me know as I haven't yet found any negative to using these FOSS Google
Play clients (with or without proprietary Google Play clients being involved
in your strategic Android use model, and with or without a Google Account
being set up on your Android device).

How you set it up is completely up to you.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2021 20:28:50 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> What version of GP app is that? Under settings, the current version doesn't
> have any options that even resemble those ...

I was working off the proof that the APK is what you get when you use a
typical FOSS Google Play client to get apps off the Google repository.

The FOSS Google Play clients have basically every setting you'd ever want.
For example... <https://i.postimg.cc/NjkLvYdy/aurora01.jpg>

With or without any Google Account ever set up for your Android device:
<https://i.postimg.cc/yWq5g17M/settings07.jpg>

Setting to _not_ delete the downloaded APK (automatic saving of all APKs!):
<https://i.postimg.cc/zf8ybgYB/apk01.jpg>

Intelligent filters to eliminate undesired features in apps found by search:
<https://i.postimg.cc/vTdMwgnW/apk02.jpg>

Persistent spoofing of location, language, device, and SDK, with additional
persistent settings for automatic updating of entire categories of apps:
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg>

Persistent filters (saved to filter out entire unwanted categories):
<https://i.postimg.cc/VvF024NZ/apk03.jpg>

Persistent settings to filter out Google Apps:
<https://i.postimg.cc/W3h4ZZTr/aurora02.jpg>

Well respected well tested fantastic FOSS Google Play Store client:
<https://i.postimg.cc/ydsJVX3R/aurora01.jpg>

Resulting in saving _every_ APK ever installed off the Google repository!
<https://i.postimg.cc/bN875p8b/apk01.jpg>

All of which update _without_ even having a Google account on the phone!
<https://i.postimg.cc/j2g26zws/apk03.jpg>

Where you keep track of how and when every app is installed & updated:
<https://i.postimg.cc/MZPpFmHw/apk07.jpg>

Each app can be updated using the proprietary Google Play app if desired:
<https://i.postimg.cc/fy8TpHFW/updateallapps06.jpg>

Are there any downsides to supplementing the Google Play app store client
with the FOSS app store clients (which use the _same_ Google repository)?

To help answer that question, here is a cleaned up listing of at least a
dozen things that the FOSS Google Play clients provide for users, where the
on-topic technical question of value is asking if anyone can find even a
single downside to using these FOSS Google Play clients alongside (or in
place of) the proprietary Google Play client?

1. Download any app _from the Mother Ship repo_ (the exact same file!)
<https://i.postimg.cc/NjkLvYdy/aurora01.jpg>

2. Do that _without_ "registering" the phone to any Mother Ship account
<https://i.postimg.cc/yWq5g17M/settings07.jpg>

3. Save downloaded APK/IPA after installing (for re-use on many devices!)
<https://i.postimg.cc/zf8ybgYB/apk01.jpg>

4. Resulting in an automatic archive of every version ever installed
<https://i.postimg.cc/bN875p8b/apk01.jpg>

5. With search filters for free and ad-free and Mother-Ship free apps
<https://i.postimg.cc/vTdMwgnW/apk02.jpg>

6. And with robust spoofing of location, language, device, & OS version
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg>

7. Adding automatic updates of installed apps (& options for disabled apps)
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg>

8. Directly filtering out all Mother Ship apps (if desired) from the search
<https://i.postimg.cc/W3h4ZZTr/aurora02.jpg>

9. And the ability to add repos & to reset filters each time, if desired
<https://i.postimg.cc/VvF024NZ/apk03.jpg>

10. And ability to update those same apps using any number of update methods
<https://i.postimg.cc/j2g26zws/apk03.jpg>

11. Always keeping track of how and when every app is installed & updated:
<https://i.postimg.cc/MZPpFmHw/apk07.jpg>

12. And always with the ability to use the Mother Ship app if/when desired.
<https://i.postimg.cc/fy8TpHFW/updateallapps06.jpg>

Are there any downsides to supplementing the Google Play app store client
with the FOSS app store clients (which use the _same_ Google repository)?

For the Usenet record, this is an update to a thread philo asked today:
*Google Translate update (how to prevent Google Play from updating it)*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/-8QwbUsgjOA>

Hi philo,

I'm happy you asked the question, as Usenet is a team sport where each of us
learns from each other, even as we play a different position on each thread.

I thank you for confirming the solution, which is to turn off the automatic
updates inside of the Google Play app (which scrapes the Google repository).

See more answers to similar questions of how Google Play Store updates apps.
*How does Google Play know how to update all your installed apps*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/48Qs2nHV5Io/m/4MpGcX0ABQAJ>

There's yet _another_ way, which is a "special teams" method, that I use.
a. I don't have a Google Account on my phone
b. Therefore, "most" of Google Play won't work
c. But, interestingly, the _update_ mechanism of Google Play does work
d. Nonetheless, I have the Google Play app disabled anyway
e. Even better, I scrape Google's repo using the Aurora Google Play client
f. That provides _everything_ God intended to be in an app store client
*Aurora Open Source Software* <https://auroraoss.com/>

Not only does that FOSS google play store client _not delete_ the APK after
downloading and installing it, but it can save APKs directly to the sdcard.
*Are there any downsides to supplementing Google Play client with Aurora Store?*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/zGYFITEjemc/m/J4eFd12UBgAJ>

More to the point of updates, not only will that FOSS google play store
client give you the choice of updates, but it even has a choice whether or
not to update the _disabled_ apps on your phone.
<https://i.postimg.cc/CL9GpzVc/aurora01.jpg> FOSS Google Play Store client
<https://i.postimg.cc/Lspjhw5f/aurora02.jpg> Filters Google won't allow
<https://i.postimg.cc/PrvDyT8Y/aurora03.jpg> *Automatic & extended updates*
<https://i.postimg.cc/Z5kdD2rg/aurora04.jpg> Choose where to download APKs
<https://i.postimg.cc/RF06HBB3/aurora05.jpg> Filters Google won't give you
<https://i.postimg.cc/FRnfbBrT/aurora06.jpg> Google Play Store still works
<https://i.postimg.cc/0jMzV0rP/aurora07.jpg> Keep logs of when last updated
<https://i.postimg.cc/7PdGfdQ6/aurora08.jpg> Search filters are persistent
<https://i.postimg.cc/8zBjX5kJ/aurora09.jpg> Save all APKs you've intalled
<https://i.postimg.cc/NG5pHyBx/aurora10.jpg> No need for a Google Account
<https://i.postimg.cc/28WG0Pqb/aurora11.jpg> Works alongside Google Play
<https://i.postimg.cc/D0Qz7fZy/aurora12.jpg> Saves all APKs after install
<https://i.postimg.cc/pLhBm3vX/aurora13.jpg> All sorts of excellent filters
<https://i.postimg.cc/W1BwgSpm/aurora14.jpg> Search by ratings or downloads
<https://i.postimg.cc/G2QP0CFz/aurora15.jpg> Its a well-supported FOSS app

In summary, given Usenet is a team sport, we all help each other every day.
a. You asked a question (and you responded to all helpful responses)
b. You found the answer you needed (and you acknowledged the sender)
c. I'm simply providing _additional_ solutions (for special situations)
--
Why? Because I have a kind heart, and plenty of added value to provide.