Starting next year, Google will begin to verify the identities of developers distributing their apps on Android devices, not just those who distribute via the Play Store.
Let Google know what you think about this: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN3UQeNspQsZCO2ITkdzMxv81rJDEGGjO-UIDDY28Rz_GEVA/viewform
Who organized this form? Is there something official to make it look like it’s not just signing me up for spam?
A valid question.
It’s the official survey form from the Android Developer page on the matter: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides
Guess I’m going back to a dumbphone next time because I’m NOT letting Google see what I’m downloading, I’d rather carry a laptop all day.
GrapheneOS works likea champ on my used Pixel 7 Pro, it was less than 100USD about 6m ago
There are alternatives to Google and Apple products. I recommend the MNT Pocket Reform if you’d like a full keyboard, or a Librem 5 if you prefer a more typical smartphone form factor.
That pocket reform looks super cool, added to the “save up for me” list
Fuck google, verify my ass motherfuckers
devils.
goddamnit I JUST bought a new Fairphone 5 and opted not to go for e/os variant, because I was worried of incompatibility issues.
Guess I’ll have to learn how to replace my phone OS in 2026…
Will, what’s the point now? Fuck it get an Apple. Why not.
EDIT This is going to be the future for us. Stop sideloading apps, then lock the bootloader.
I sent Apple to hell because of dumb “you can’t change UI to your liking”, guess Google is next
*yes, this was seen miles away. I work with a laptop most of the time, so phone doesn’t matter much for me, apart of a box that rings a few times a year
**Yes, both companies are run by greedy dumbfucks. I am getting tired and angry that finding companies that are different takes actual dedication. It should not be this way
Time to build more PWAs please?
will I be able to install the Google Play store on graphino S
Right now? Yeah, its very easy to do, and there’s a download link for it included in GrapheneOS’s preinstalled app-store.
I am however worried that eventually Google will make running custom software (apks, alternate firmwares) so difficult that development for those will stop long term.
Verify my balls, Google.
if you’ve ever sent a nude, they probably can.
I’d be careful yknow, I hear they hired Barry Zuckercorn
He’s very good!
How are they going to enforce this? Is side loading getting some extra signing step only Google can provide?
I shouldn’t need to go through Google at all to release an Android app if it’s not on their store. This is bullshit
Any device with Google Play services will enforce this. Any device that does not have Google Apps and services will not enforce this.
In this case, China actually has a leg up over the West because they haven’t had Google Play services for a long time.
I’m so glad I degoogled my phone already. Fuck Google!
I know right. I am degoogle class of 2019, and I’m so glad to have done so.
China is pushing in the same direction. The government want to develop Harmony OS that is gonna have compatibility issues with .apk installs and they could design it in such a way to make VPNs unusable. China is a State Capitalist regime, they will learn all the tricks that the west is using and do their capitalism with an even more stronger grip.
China is not FOSS friendly. Remember how Reddit is keep nagging you to install their app and make an account. Well in China, a lot of their platform/services doesn’t even have a desktop client, or even a web browser log-in. You can try visiting some of the mainland Chinese websites yourself. They force you to enter a phone number to sign up and some even require you to scan qr code with their phone app to log in to the website (meaning you’re supposed to sign up in their phone app first, PC use is considered “secondary”). Almost everything requires an app on a smartphone.
Edit: P.S. Overseas Chinese Citizens need to download a government spyware app on their phone in order to submit an application to renew passports. I know because my father is a PRC citizen.
We are looking at nothing less than the death of the internet. Needing to give your ID to access Spotify. Not being able to install software on the device you purchase.
and just like that google expands their walled garden and becomes apple 2
remember when the internet was an open platform and computers were yours to run programs you wanted?
We had it coming… I do let my thoughts Go, that you Someehen need to identify yourself to even connect to the internet.
They didn’t apply laws to regulate some stuff, so now they start hammering down to enforce Control.
And big tech and companies will absolutely be one of the hardest Driver for this. There are Potential new ways to make Money. Basically a wet dream for especially big tech.
It’s about to get even worse. With AI and deepfakes, including deepfake porn, it will become impossible to argue against the complete and total tracking of all access to compute for the general population. There will be literally no justifiable reason to “control your own computer”, when children could get hurt.
This is awful. One of my favorite differences between Android and iOS, as both a user AND developer is sideloading.
The closer google gets to apple, the more similar they become. Except apples shit generally all works well together. Knock off air tags, chromecast, audio groups, and so many other things are riddled with bugs and never fixed.
If you make android the same as iOS, I might as well switch.
Only reason I stick with Apple is because their stuff simply works and is supported (in most cases) for almost 10 years.
Sideloading still works, just the apps have to be signed. Still awfull.
We just need to find a way to fake it, I guess anyone that wants to sideload has to root.
The only way to fake it would be to use a “public” signature, but then again, I’m sure google will revoke them eventually. I guess rooting won’t be enough, one would have to change some internal binaries. Perhaps it’s time for a ungooglified android OS 🤷♂️
How many great apps will we lose because of this, though?
What’s extra funny is that I already did all of this, and yet, I’ve been informed that my developer account is subject to deletion because I’m not active enough. Since my game does not get regular updates I said F this, let them delete my account. It’s still available for sideload on itch.io anyway. Jokes on me for believing that.
So yeah, it seems like Google is actively hostile towards building a library of software/games that just work and intentionally only wants live service garbage apps on their platform because those make more revenue.
That’s wild, I made a developer account in like 2010 and released an app and forgot about it. I still get developer emails about my account lol. I never touched it.
I’d say a big ton of them :(
Can Nintendo request Google revoke authorization for emulator developers? Or publishers requesting revoking any of the hugely popular manga aggregator apps. Or maybe they’ll just outright refuse them from the start, like they will with revanced.
none of those apps would receive authorization in this scenario. you would not be able to use them
I’m on your side and you are correct, besides Google amassing a ton of money (each registration costs $25) they will have total control and we know that Google is far beyond “not evil”.
I highly doubt they’ll sign Torrent clients.
(Yes I torrent on my phone, cuz why not lol :P)
Torrent clients are not illegal in any way. So why not?
Idk, apple doesn’t allow them on their app store.
Right sorry. I thought you meant developers won’t sign them. Obviously you mean Google.
I hope Google at least will only sign identities, e.g. you really are DeathByBigSad and this is your key which you can sign apps with. Not look at the apps themselves. That may be too much to hope for. :(
Torrent client is just an application, author shouldn’t be responsible - naive thinking I suppose
Why am I using an Android device then? Also how would this even work with open source apps that people build from source?
You build an app from source, I assume you’ll get a prompt on your phone that says it can’t run because it’s not signed.
Another article did mention that it’s only for devices with Play Protect enabled so if they keep that as easy as it is to disable right now, it’ll be a non issue actually.
Until play protect becomes mandatory
I could see them making it a developer option, then force you to agree to giving up your warranty if you wanna turn on sideloading, and maybe even trigger a play intergrity thing that makes banking apps unusable.
I sure hope not, it’d mess up corporate deployments and all too.
Another article did mention that it’s only for devices with Play Protect enabled so if they keep that as easy as it is to disable right now, it’ll be a non issue actually.
