What happened
Analysis and impact
根据法官此前作出的裁决，Google 必须允许第三方应用商店在 Google Play 内进行分发，以打破其市场垄断格局。Aptoide 成为了这一裁决生效后，首个正式登陆 Google Play 的替代应用商店。这意味着 Android 用户现在可以直接从 Google Play 下载 Aptoide，再通过 Aptoide 获取其他应用，而无需像过去那样手动下载 APK 文件并调整系统安全设置进行“侧载”。
这一变化源于 Epic Games 对 Google 发起的长期反垄断诉讼。法院认定 Google 通过其 Play Store 和应用内支付系统非法维持了垄断地位，并责令其进行一系列整改，包括向竞争对手开放其应用分发渠道。尽管 Google 已表示将对判决提出上诉，但现阶段仍需执行法院的指令。目前，Aptoide 是唯一一家利用这一新规上架 Play Store 的第三方商店，原文未提供其他应用商店的具体上架时间表。
References
Original source text
A new day has dawned in the Play Store, and it's one that Google tried very hard to avoid. The first third-party app store has arrived in Google Play as a result of the long-running antitrust lawsuit with Epic. Those in the US can now head into Google Play and download Aptoide, a game-focused store that has been available as a sideloaded client since the early days of Android.
Forcing Google to distribute third-party app stores in Google Play was one of several remedies imposed by Judge James Donato after Epic emerged victorious in 2023. The remedies also included lowering developer fees, mirroring Google Play apps in other app stores, and allowing developers to use alternative payment systems. But it was the app store stipulation that seemed to irk Google the most.
Google almost avoided this outcome when it agreed to a settlement with Epic, which was announced early this year. Under the terms, Google would certify third-party app stores to allow users to install and use them with less friction, but it would not host them in Google Play. However, Google and Epic withdrew the settlement when it appeared the court would not approve it. This Registered App Store program is still slated to launch internationally, but in the US, Google is only doing what it must to comply with the judge's orders.