Need clarifications about sandboxed play store

XxTriviumxX

Hey!

I want to try the sandboxed version of play store. I could not find a direct answer to my concerns about it. But before I ask, here's my background:

I used to install/update "app store exclusive" apps with aurora store. I thought it was awesome until google used the handbrake on it. Then, there was issues with aurora being available only on f-droid becuase the dude that was maintaining it was not the "owner" and thus could not give us an apk via gitlab. I ditched aurora and I don't care if they got it working now.

I found out about obtainium and i've been using it with apkpure for my "app store exclusive" app needs. While it works great, I don't feel safe about fetching apps via apkpure to be honest...

So, I want to give play store a chance. I need to know the privacy risks of using the sandboxed play store with a burner google account that has no info about me versus, let's say, aurora store and it's anonymous accounts... Will it drastically increase google's spying?

Thanks!

spring-onion

Hi.

Here you go. That should give you a good overview.

XxTriviumxX

spring-onion yeah.... i read that multiple times already.. thanks though

edit: In reality i want to know how big is the privacy risks when using a fake, burner google account versus aurora store with anonymous account.

akc3n

XxTriviumxX Perhaps this may be a starting point for you to further get the insight you're looking for by reading through the inline cited links in this comment here: https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/8255-aurora-does-not-install-apps/8 regarding throwaway / burner accounts and Aurora Stores anonymous login mode.

XxTriviumxX

akc3n thanks!! i'll read it!

Viewpoint0232

I've never had any issues with the anonymous mode of Aurora, maybe give it another try first?

Personally, I don't ever plan to connect my phone to a Google account, sandboxed or not.

XxTriviumxX

Viewpoint0232 gitlab had huge problems last year. could not connect with vpn on, got throttled all the time, buggy versions sent by the creator of calyx instead of the creator of aurora, etc. how long have you been using it? It was hell for me i ragequit aurora.

Viewpoint0232

XxTriviumxX

I installed GrapheneOS 5 months ago, then downloaded F-Droid Basic, then installed Aurora from there, and logged in with their anonymous account feature. Never had any problem searching, installing or updating any app.

XxTriviumxX

my bad. not gitlab... aurora had huge problems last year

XxTriviumxX

Viewpoint0232 yeah.... thats what i thought.. you weren't there to see it! I guess I can try it again! it's just that i don't get notifications from aurora for new updates while play store and obtainium (via apkpure) do have notifications or auto updates...

XxTriviumxX

this is from aurora store's gitlab repo: Token Dispenser Server is not super reliable, downtimes are expected.

How frequent are downtimes now?

XxTriviumxX

Okay, i've read more on the subject. Sandboxed play store with a throwaway account will simply let google know which apps are on my phone.. nothing more, nothing less. Am I right on this assumption?

p338k

If any application exposes your identity in a notification, Google will be able to correlate all of your applications in the profile to that identity.

XxTriviumxX

p338k What if I tell you I've been using play services since the beginning? I'm only asking about the additional privacy risks of using a throwaway account with play store vs aurora's anonymous accounts. Does play store add that risk you just described? Or is it a play services thing?

p338k

XxTriviumxX

In that case, there shouldn't be any additional privacy loss. All of your activity will be associated with that account, but Google could already do that before anyway. It is possible that Google would not correlate the activity before you sign in with a specific account, but I doubt that is the case.

XxTriviumxX

so basically aurora's anonymous accounts are just delaying the inevitable?

p338k

XxTriviumxX

I am not sure it provides any real anonymity for applications that use Google services. It might provide a small degree of privacy for apps that don't use Google services, but I am not sure how much.

XxTriviumxX

oh and i also read that the throwaway gmail account will land in settings -> Passwords and Accounts. Is that a bad thing?

XxTriviumxX

p338k I decided to give aurora another shot. Do you have to set battery optimization as unrestricted in order to get notifications for new available updates?

XxTriviumxX

tried aurora for 2 days. i got an error already. It was not giving me any notifications for new updates so i opened up aurora and found out i was not connected as anonymous anymore. When i press on "anonymous" I get an error. How is this "easy to use"? What is your definition of "no issues" ?