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Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

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Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#41

Post by baby_souffle »

87636899376 wrote: post #14

Official announcement: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-... More info: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ... Personally...we all know the Play Store is chock full of malicious garbage, so the verification requirements there don't do jack to protect users. The way I see it, this is nothing but a power grab, a way…

Can you elaborate a little bit about this hidden internet access control setting?

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#42

Post by hn8726 »

> developers will have the same freedom to distribute their apps directly to users through sideloading or to use any app store they prefer. We believe this is how an open system should work—by preserving choice while enhancing security for everyone

I guess words don't don't have meaning anymore, how can you claim to have an open system in an announcement about closing it down?

It's also telling that the big supporters of this are apparently corporations and governments. Admittedly I don't know what "Developer's Alliance" is but they don't seem to care about developers very much, and I wouldn't surprised if they were just a "pay us to say what you're doing is good for devs" kind of thing

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#45

Post by asyx »

0x000xca0xfe wrote: post #28

Time for a Steam Phone. Or FirefoxOS reloaded. The general purpose mobile computing market must be sizeable. I cannot believe everybody just puts up with these increasingly draconic restrictions.

I think a big problem is that the users have been trained to accept the status quo. I mean back in the Feature phone days we would share Java phone games at school via Bluetooth. I’d assume kids these days generally don’t anymore.

Also, due to the cost of physical media piracy was rampant even amongst boomers. People knew and had the option to buy a dvd player that could play video cd because that’s how movies were ripped.

Even during the early iPhones we were so stripped of even basic features that a jailbreak was 100% required if you wanted to even basic things like taking videos or changing the Home Screen background.

None of this is necessary anymore. The users gets the phone and it just works from their perspective at least.

So who is going to try to run a business off of nerds like us who want to have this sort of control over our devices (I’d call it freedom but the average user doesn’t feel unfree)?

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#47

Post by 87636899376 »

baby_souffle wrote: post #41
87636899376 wrote: post #14

Official announcement: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-... More info: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ... Personally...we all know the Play Store is chock full of malicious garbage, so the verification requirements there don't do jack to protect users. The way I see it, this is nothing but a power grab, a way…

Can you elaborate a little bit about this hidden internet access control setting?

"Hidden" isn't exactly right. It's completely inaccessible, unless you use a custom ROM like LineageOS. But it is a real permission:

https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/network-o...

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#49

Post by dingdingdang »

ycombinatrix wrote: post #20

This is crazy. I can't install my own apps on my own phone anymore. I am gonna start carrying around a laptop with a 5G modem instead.

I'm thinking it's time for a 2nd phone (in my case old one from cupboard) to become the regular daily GrapheneOS enabled driver and then keep a modern Google(tm) updated one at home for all the "official crap" whenever needed. That way I can also separate banking / paypal / etc. from my carry phone with all it's various apps that I trust to varying degrees.
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