"Carlos E. R." <robin_...@es.invalid> wrote
> For example, you can login to google in a computer, go to apps, Play
> Store, find an app, and click to install on any of your phones.
Thanks for bringing up that you need an account to have the ability of
downloading APKs from the PC onto your cellphone with a Google Account.
However...
I'd call that an "ability" (or maybe a feature) but not a functionality.
The reason is I can do all that too.
Without creating a Google Account.
So the account isn't needed for the functionality of obtaining an APK while
on the PC and then installing that APK onto the phone - or - even obtaining
that APK from the phone (web browsers are on phones too) & installing it.
Here's an example of how simple it is to install on a phone from a PC.
<
https://i.postimg.cc/wvsbcNBz/scrcpy05.jpg> Drag APK from Windows
All you do is slide the APK file from Windows to Android over Wi-Fi.
And that installs it (although you can do the same thing with adb).
And to get it, all you need is to download it off the Google Play Store
repository without needing to create any Google Account on your phone.
So having a Google Account adds a feature that you like, but it's not
necessary to have the functionality of pulling APKs off the Google Play
Store repository and installing them from the PC onto the phone.
Note: As an aside, you can pull F-Droid APKs the way you suggested to use
the Google Play Store repository - but only some of those APKs are the same
unique Android package name as those on the Google Play Store repository.
>> c. An example where an account is convenient is calendars & contacts.
>
> Any app that saves settings on the cloud, so that the same settings
> apply to all devices. If you want that feature, a login is required.
>
> Some apps may be developed to alternatively use a private server.
While I agree that _many_ (perhaps even most) app developers would _love_
to have you create an account to store your settings on their servers,
I would argue that there can't be a single app which technically requires
that.
You can sync anything if you have a computer to sync it to, right?
That computer can be your own desktop PC, right?
After having said that, I am aware of ownCloud servers, and caldav and
cardav servers, all of which are free - but most of which are on Linux.
Sadly, the server situation for the Windows PC sucks, IMHO.
If others know of good free cardav, caldav and owncloud servers for the PC,
let me know as I'll test them out for team & write up a tutorial.
--
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