Installing apps from sources beyond the Play Store, or sideloading as many refer to it, is a practice that I undertake daily. Dozens of apps on my phone are installed from alternative app stores, be it GitHub, F-Droid, or beyond, and usually offer unique features and functionality that you simply won’t find on apps listed on Google’s platform. Just look at Breezy Weather, an app that, while appearing similar to Pixel Weather, offers a wealth of additional functionality. However, I will admit that downloading and maintaining apps from external sources is certainly more difficult and tiresome than simply getting them from the Play Store.Google is also rolling out more stringent measures to introduce additional friction when sideloading apps. While these measures, which include a new series of checks, a 24-hour delay, and a mandatory phone restart, are intended to make it more difficult for scammers to target vulnerable users, they also make it more cumbersome for power users to install safe apps from reliable, external sources.