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Sideloading is the act of downloading mobile apps without the restrictions of designated app stores. For example, Android is an open-source operating system and when it was bought by Google in 2005, Google built on top of the android framework, and most mobile apps had to be downloaded via the Google Play Store. However, it was possible to enable downloading apps from outside of the Play Store by enabling this option in device settings.
On the contrary, some operating systems, such as Apple's iOS, do not allow sideloading. Therefore, the openness of Android has made it a good option for many developers and consumers to do with their devices as they see fit.