Android developer verification: Early access starts • Hacker News Board

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#91

Post by xg15 » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 2:58 AM UTC

svat wrote: post #7

From 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” s…

> 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.

You can also view this as a "tragedy of the commons" situation. Unverified apps and sideloading is actively abused by scammers right now.

> Meanwhile this very fact seems fundamentally unacceptable to many, so there will be no end to this discourse IMO.

I get that viewpoint and I'm also very glad an opt-out now exists (and the risk that the verification would be abused is also very real), but yeah, more information what to do against scammers then would also be needed.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#92

Post by cesarb » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 2:58 AM UTC

metadat wrote: post #31

geoffschmidt wrote: post #6

Earlier 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

So.. all this drama over an alert(yes/no) box? Wow, this really pulls back the veil. This Vendor (google) is only looking out for numero uno.

> So.. all this drama over an alert(yes/no) box?

A simple yes/no alert box is not "[...] specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer". In fact, AFAIK we already have exactly that alert box.

No, what they want is something so complicated that no muggle could possibly enable it, either by accident or by being guided on the phone.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#93

Post by userbinator » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 2:59 AM UTC

gdulli wrote: post #37

charcircuit wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would still be able to adb installs them. They wouldn't die.

Developers of these apps would have little motivation if the maximum audience size was cut down to the very few who would use adb. The ecosystem would die.

Or someone comes up with an easy adb wrapper and now it becomes the go-to way to install apps.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#94

Post by gowthamgts12 » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:00 AM UTC

so still distributing with f-droid is messed up? i now have to pay a fee to develop an open-source app via f-droid to everyone?

this is a misleading title. they only allow side-loading unverified apps only on fewer devices.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#95

Post by gpm » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:01 AM UTC

gumby271 wrote: post #50

andrepd wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the EU digital markets act mandate this?

Isn't Apple technically complying with this even while forcing notarization? Seems like Google could get away with the same scheme.

Apple says they are. The EU says they aren't. They're fighting over it.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#96

Post by devsda » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:02 AM UTC

edoceo wrote: post #33

bilsbie wrote: post #18

I don’t like to see the word “allow” in the same sentence with a device I own.

It's a device you own, sure. But you've licensed the software.

If there is an alternative software that can run on the device without going through extraordinary hoops, I may agree that it is licensed.

If there is no other alternative, buying hardware and licensing software are not two different steps. Its just buying a device.

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#97

Post by tjpnz » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:02 AM UTC

wmf wrote: post #51

svat wrote: post #7

From 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” s…

Or maybe Google just has empathy for people losing millions to scams?

The same scams Google's ad network facilitates and Google in turn profits from?

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#98

Post by m463 » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:02 AM UTC

svat wrote: post #7

From 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” s…

this is an unresolvable issue

  security = 1/convenience

or in this case:

  security = 1/freedom  or agency

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#99

Post by xg15 » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:03 AM UTC

So there was the very concrete problem that F-Droid could not continue to function with the verification requirements, because they rebuild every app and so would have to know every key.

Do the changes here do anything for F-Droid?

Re: Android developer verification: Early access starts

#100

Post by 999900000999 » Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 3:06 AM UTC

Ahh yes,the slow boiling continues.

So if I want to release a free android game my options are.

A: Hope Google doesn't change course again.

B: Give Google a copy of my apartment lease,

Would be too hard for them to ya know actually implement sandboxing which would prevent this.

Anything aside from full bootloader access means I'm renting my device.

Too late now though.