Hi Everyone, Re: https://userbase.kde.org/KDEConnect#Installation I'm using Kubuntu 20.04.03, x86_64, fully patched. I am new to KDE, but I like what I see so far. I have a carrier unlocked Pixel 4a in US market. I purchased the phone from Google. I am not indentured to a carrier. I do not use app stores, like Google Play or F-Droid. Instead, I download the app and use 'adb install' to sideload it/install it manually. For example, here are Firefox [1] and Duo Security [2] apps. (This cuts both ways. I don't give up my privacy, but I can't use Uber or Lyft because they don't run properly). My request is, please provide a direct download for KDEConnect. I would like to try it (without compromising on my privacy by engaging an app store). [1] https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Platforms/Android and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1103697 [2] https://help.duo.com/s/article/2211?language=en_US
Even though KDE does not provide a direct download for KDE Connect at the moment, you can click "Download APK" on the F-Droid page, which is built and signed by F-Droid. You can click on the link to source tarball and verify the code. This way, you can sideload the APK without installing the F-Droid client. According to their About page: > F-Droid respects your privacy. We don’t track you, or your device. We don’t track what you install. > You don’t need an account to use the client, and it sends no additional identifying data when > communicating with our web servers, other than its version number. You can find F-Droid's client and server source code on https://gitlab.com/fdroid . However, if you still do not trust the APK built by F-Droid, I am afraid that you will have to build the app from source yourself, or wait until KDE developers make the APK available for direct download on KDE site.
F-Droid's builds are always about a week late. It'd be good to provide an APK to allow the user to update quicker. Even with using something like [Obtainium](https://obtainium.imranr.dev/).
*** Bug 505680 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I’m currently in the process of fully transitioning away from Google services and most proprietary/unsecure software. I have been using Graphene OS as my mobile OS of choice. I’ve successfully sourced all my necessary apps through Obtainium, the Graphene OS App Store, and Accrescent. However, I’m facing a similar challenge with KDE Connect. Unfortunately, it’s not currently available through Obtainium or other secure channels, and obtaining it via F-Droid or the Play Store poses security concerns for me. This has become somewhat of a dealbreaker in my de-googling efforts. providing an APK to allow the user to update quicker. and get it from a secure source with something like Obtainium would be very helpful to me and a lot of other users. F-droid Security issues: privsec.dev/posts/android/f-droid-security-issues/ xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/1883895255142932816#m gitlab.com/ironfox-oss/IronFox/-/issues/7 github.com/obfusk/fdroid-fakesigner-poc
Relevant: https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/issues/3110#note_1613430404 (written by jdonenfeld@kde.org)