Google won't allow you to install Android apps whose developers' identity Google hasn't verified. Starting in 2026 in some countries and in 2027 everywhere: androidauthority.com/android-d…
Google wants to make sideloading Android apps safer by verifying developers’ identities - Android Authority
Google wants to make sideloading safer on Android by verifiying the identities of developers who distribute apps outside the Play Store.Mishaal Rahman (Android Authority)
This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)
reshared this
Torsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •We need to fight Google's new ID requirement for app developers. It isn't like showing ID at the airport. More like showing it at the printing press and only IDed authors are allowed to print books.
What Google doesn't talk about is that they build this ID system to ban developers and their apps.
reshared this
Conny Duck, Cassandrich, your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦, Furbland's Very Cool Mastodon™, Deadly Headshot and GhostOnTheHalfShell reshared this.
Torsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Deadly Headshot reshared this.
Torsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •People saying "But I use a degoogled custom ROM, so I won't be affected" are missing the point. Apps not on Google Play are already a niche. Banning them on most people's devices is a big issue, even if some people can still escape.
Also the general trend of Google becoming more closed may make even custom ROMs impossible eventually.
Deadly Headshot reshared this.
Frank
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •As an example I'd like to add: In our school we actively explain to our pupils how to install F-Droid to demonstrate, that there are ways to control your device, for example to get an ad-free YT experience with Newpipe. So you can explain problems like walled gardens etc
The whole educational aspects are gone, when this is no longer possible, it does not matter if some nerd is able to circumvent the restriction - every Android device will no longer be his/hers for the average user.
Frank
in reply to Frank • • •In the end, users will be accustomed to the fact, that they can no longer control which apps do and don't run on their devices.
I often think of the brilliant talk by @pluralistic - this is from 2021 (!) an the big corps follow their goal relentlessly.
"The coming war on general computation"
media.ccc.de/v/import-6942ef79…
The coming war on general computation
media.ccc.deTorsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •reshared this
mcc and Deadly Headshot reshared this.
Torsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Under-reported detail: If you don't pay a fee to Google, they limit how many people can install your apps and how many apps you are allowed to have.
Source: developer.android.com/develope…
Android developer verification | Android Developers
Android Developersreshared this
mcc, Furbland's Very Cool Mastodon™ and Deadly Headshot reshared this.
Torsten Grote
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Google asks what we think of their plans to block Android app installs outside of Google Play (unless the developers let Google verify their identity and pay a fee).
Want to tell them your opinion, just submit this form:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…
Android developer verification requirements
Google Docsreshared this
your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦, Cassandrich, Deadly Headshot, Mystery Babylon and Isard reshared this.
mcc
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Torsten Grote
in reply to mcc • • •Android developer console
Android Developersmcc
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Jan Penfrat
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Thank you @grote for sharing this.
In addition to telling #Google that locking down #Android is bad, I'd also recommend every app developer to write to the @EUCommission's #DMA enforcement team and tell them that this practically circumvents Article 6(4) of the #DigitalMarketsAct, which was supposed to *enable* 3rd party app (stores).
The EC is discussing the same question with #Apple atm and they have to understand what happens if they let this happen.
Contact form:
digital-markets-act.ec.europa.…
Contact the DMA team
Digital Markets Act (DMA)Klaus Frank
in reply to Jan Penfrat • • •@ilumium
Good idea, didn't know what the formal process for that was up until now.
Hope that just mentioning the @EUCommission is already enough for them to get active by their own accords especially because this is an ongoing for multiple years by now...
Andy Piper
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •mcc
in reply to Torsten Grote • • •Seems to clearly indicate they'll be tracking which devices run which apps? So Google will know every time I open an app on my own phone…?
What if I'm installing something that a government somewhere considers illegal, like an emulator, or a period-tracking app? Does Google have that information? Could they derive it from information they do have (for example if they know the app developer I ran but not the app, but the developer only has one app)? Will they report it on subpeona
Olivier
in reply to mcc • • •@mcc I think it would be trivial for Google to record and report what apps are installed and used on a phone, and how often or for how long. Whether Google does that already or not, I don't know.
This new controversy is to restrict and control who can develop software for Android, who can distribute it, and whether you can install it on your device. It's Apple's so called walled garden idea.
It essentially removes one of the most important differentiators between the two brands.
@grote
mcc
in reply to Olivier • • •