But if you want get android app from playstore, you still need google account. Same for iOS, and it's even worst than android, since you can't sideload apps

Yes, ONLY if you want to download them from the playstore. As you already noted, on Android you can sideload apps and get them from other places other than the playstore. So you can still get the same app from another source without an account.

Some companies like DJI actually let you download from their site directly and bypass the playstore. Notice the apple version links to the apple store but the Android version downloads the APK directly from DJI: https://www.dji.com/downloads/djiapp/dji-fly

Bypassing the Play Store is also a bad sign, especially from chineese company. This is bypassing the Play Store rules about permissions granted to the app.

From experience, companies that provide apps directly have some malware to hide.

Here is an example: GAN Cube is the world leader in Rubik's Cube. They provide an Android app by direct download [1]. Strangely this app has the permission to install other apps. That's obviously something not allowed to publish on the Play Store.

[1] https://cubestation.com/

I used android for 5 years without an account. You can side load, use fdroid or apkpure.

Why not create a throwaway account? When you setup the phone, just go through the process of setting up your fake Google account, and don't use it for anything aside from the Play Store for easily downloading and updating apps.

Because once you have that account, it links all apps data to it, and you give enough data about yourself to be indentified somewhere else even without the account.

That sounds like a "Pro" feature. Too bad MS isn't releasing a "Pro" version of Windows 11. Oh wait.

>But if you want get android app from playstore, you still need google account

nope, just use aurora store

From the terms of service https://auroraoss.com/de/download/AuroraStore/terms-of-servi...

> You agree to defend, indemnify and hold us harmless from and against any and all costs, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys' fees, costs, penalties, interest and disbursements) we incur in relation to, arising from, or for the purpose of avoiding, any claim or demand from a third party relating to your use of the Service

I'm not sure what is the worst: being tied to Google or being tied to a company which wants to push me in front of Google's lawyers if they get annoyed.

>[...] relating to your use of the Service

That seems... pretty reasonable? I'm not sure what kind of developer would want to foot the legal bills caused by one of their users.

@cronix, @BiteCode_dev, @gruez: I know we can sideload, but it's inconvenient. Fdroid have limited number of apps, and store like apkpure is security risk. Most of regular people just get an Google account.

However, we are not discussing what's more or less convenient, but what can you do and what are you forced to do. Big difference.

Suppose you are correct that neither actually requires an account but suspect the user experience is not great without.

Correct in that you can at least get through setup to have a functional device though.

Does the Google Play Store allow you to install apps without an account? I can't imagine it would

Requiring an account to use the Microsoft Store sounds completely fine to me.

How do you use an android phone without installing applications?