Android developer verification: Early access starts
android-developers.googleblog.com
Android developer verification: Early access starts
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Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#2Sounds like they're rolling back the mandatory verification flow:
Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months.
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#3> Keeping users safe on Android is our top priority.
I highly doubt this is your "top" priority. Or if it is then you're gotten there by completely ignoring Google account security.
> intercepts the victim's notifications
And who controls these notifications and forces application developers to use a specific service?
> bad actors can spin up new harmful apps instantly.
Like banking applications that use push or SMS for two factor authentication. You seem to approve those without hesitation. I guess their "top" priority is dependent on the situation.
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#4Edit: be sure to read geoffschmidt's reply below /edit
The buried lede:
> a dedicated account type for students and hobbyists. This will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification
So a natural limit on how big a hobby project can get. The example they give, where verification would require scammers to burn an identity to build another app instead of just being able to do a new build whenever an app gets detected as malware, shows that apps with few installs are where the danger is. This measure just doesn't add up
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#5Glad to see them being less evil.
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#6Edit: be sure to read geoffschmidt's reply below /edit The buried lede: > a dedicated account type for students and hobbyists. This will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification So a natural limit on how big a hobby project can get. The example they give, where verification would require scammers to burn an identity to build another app instead…
But see also the next section ("empowering experienced users"):
> We are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#7From the very first announcement of this, Google has hinted that they were doing this under pressure from the governments in a few countries. (I don't remember the URL of the first announcement, but https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-... is from 2025-August-25 and mentions “These requirements go into effect in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand”.) The “Why verification is important” section of this blog post goes into a bit more detail (see also the We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer), but ultimately the point is:
there cannot exist an easy way for a typical non-technical user to install “unverified apps” (whatever that means), because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
Meanwhile this very fact seems fundamentally unacceptable to many, so there will be no end to this discourse IMO.
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#8Edit: be sure to read geoffschmidt's reply below /edit The buried lede: > a dedicated account type for students and hobbyists. This will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification So a natural limit on how big a hobby project can get. The example they give, where verification would require scammers to burn an identity to build another app instead…
But see also the next section ("empowering experienced users"): > We are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified
Oh! I thought I had found the crucial piece finally after ~500 words, but there's indeed better news in the section after that! Thanks, I can go sleep with a more optimistic feeling now :)
Also this will kill any impetus that was growing on the Linux phone development side, for better or worse. We get to live in this ecosystem a while longer, let's see if people keep damocles' sword in mind and we might see more efforts towards cross-platform builds for example
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#9I have to admit I couldn't even understand this problem, because for me the "stock OS" is already unbearable and I'd simply never be able to use it - I've never used it for more than a hour..
Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
But see also the next section ("empowering experienced users"): > We are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified
Oh! I thought I had found the crucial piece finally after ~500 words, but there's indeed better news in the section after that! Thanks, I can go sleep with a more optimistic feeling now :) Also this will kill any impetus that was growing on the Linux phone development side, for better or worse. We get to live in this ecosystem a while longer, let's see if people keep damocles' sword in mind and we might see more effo…
Let's take the "W". This is pretty good news!