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Android Developer Verification

android-developers.googleblog.com

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Re: Android Developer Verification

#11

Post by zrm »

pzo wrote: post #7
andrepd wrote: post #5

I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. The EU has the most motivation to do it, as a huge economic bloc with a lot of motivation right now to become as independent from the US as possible. I guess I can sort of manage to keep my head above water and keep buying secondhand phones which I unlock and install a supported version of LineageOS. But it's cumbersome, it gets more difficult and more restr…

> I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. IMHO governments are partially behind those initiatives so they are unlikely to regulate themself- reason in last few years they intensified work on Digital ID, Age Verification, Chat control, KYC, etc.

There are different governments and different subdivisions within any given government. The only thing you need to get a government that had been pushing Chat Control to do some trust busting is to get more votes.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#12

Post by ethagnawl »

What % of Android users actually want this? Do they know or care?

I've been using Android since 2010 because it was open in ways that the Apple ecosystem wasn't. I do not want this and imagine hardly any other power users (for lack of a better term) do. I'm already using a mostly deGoogled device but this really seals the deal. I have been longing for a true Linux phone for years and now seems like a good time to get serious about the search and migration plan.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#13

Post by lokar »

pzo wrote: post #7
andrepd wrote: post #5

I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. The EU has the most motivation to do it, as a huge economic bloc with a lot of motivation right now to become as independent from the US as possible. I guess I can sort of manage to keep my head above water and keep buying secondhand phones which I unlock and install a supported version of LineageOS. But it's cumbersome, it gets more difficult and more restr…

> I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. IMHO governments are partially behind those initiatives so they are unlikely to regulate themself- reason in last few years they intensified work on Digital ID, Age Verification, Chat control, KYC, etc.

For the limits on side-loading in particular, there are a few southeast asian nations (I can't recall, Vietnam? Thailand?) where almost all internet access is via Android, including banking. And social engineering fraud, where they call someone up, pretend to be the bank, and get them to side-load malware, has become a major financial, and political problem.

AIUI, they have told Google to find a fix, or else.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#14

Post by amarant »

stuaxo wrote: post #3

Sorry, but absolutely not. I stuck with Android for years as a dev as I once did Android apps and occasionally do tinker. This is my last Android phone and Jolla is my next phone.

Ooh, are you gonna go for their Ubuntu touch alternative, or their own OS?

Re: Android Developer Verification

#15

Post by nout »

pzo wrote: post #7
andrepd wrote: post #5

I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. The EU has the most motivation to do it, as a huge economic bloc with a lot of motivation right now to become as independent from the US as possible. I guess I can sort of manage to keep my head above water and keep buying secondhand phones which I unlock and install a supported version of LineageOS. But it's cumbersome, it gets more difficult and more restr…

> I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. IMHO governments are partially behind those initiatives so they are unlikely to regulate themself- reason in last few years they intensified work on Digital ID, Age Verification, Chat control, KYC, etc.

EU is schizophrenic enough that it often produces very conflicting directions, opinions and policies.

One thing EU loves is regulation though, so I expect they will introduce preemptive regulations to enforce strict ID verification as well as regulations to fine big companies for breaching user privacy with strict ID verification policies.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#16

Post by user34283 »

andrepd wrote: post #5

I don't see a way out of this except government regulation. The EU has the most motivation to do it, as a huge economic bloc with a lot of motivation right now to become as independent from the US as possible. I guess I can sort of manage to keep my head above water and keep buying secondhand phones which I unlock and install a supported version of LineageOS. But it's cumbersome, it gets more difficult and more restr…

You'd think in 2026 regulators would finally step up their game to break up the mobile app distribution duopoly.

And Google thinks it can pull this ridiculous stunt.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#17

Post by nout »

That's seriously horrible. There are 5+ open source android apps that I use and want to continue using that are not available on Play Store, but rather through alternative stores (like Zapstore, Obtainium).

If I get a phone with preinstalled Graphene OS (like the upcoming Motorola phone), then does it avoid this stupidity? Or even with Graphene it prevents me from installing apks?

Re: Android Developer Verification

#19

Post by subscribed »

birdsongs wrote: post #6
bstsb wrote: post #2

from https://9to5google.com/2026/03/30/android-developer-verifier... - > Starting in April, Android Developer Verifier will be installed on devices. so they're rolling out a system app that will call home to check whether any sideloaded apps have been "verified" with the developer's government ID? and this process will happen regardless of whether the user has enabled the "advanced flow" in Developer settings?

Good of a reason as any to go google-less on my Graphene pixel, I guess. But man it sucks, mostly for all the people who can't. I can manage my financials and 2FA from my laptop, that was my last real reason to have google play installed, but it's just a convenience. (I know it's mandatory for others.) I wonder how that sys app will be handled in GrapheneOS's google play sandbox?

It'll probably always confirm it's been verified.

GOS have already said users won't be impacted by this clampdown.

Re: Android Developer Verification

#20

Post by motbus3 »

ethagnawl wrote: post #12

What % of Android users actually want this? Do they know or care? I've been using Android since 2010 because it was open in ways that the Apple ecosystem wasn't. I do not want this and imagine hardly any other power users (for lack of a better term) do. I'm already using a mostly deGoogled device but this really seals the deal. I have been longing for a true Linux phone for years and now seems like a good time to get…

But but but it is for your security! You need to be protected!

Android isn't open source for a while. They started by pushing device certification which crippled any abilities of OEMs to make a better framework. Then they took many of the opensource packages out of android and redistributed as applications that they controlled via play services.

Then they made it harder to publish packages and created tons of rules that they can arbitrarily decide to cut ties with you or remove your remuneration.

What they are effectively doing now is to remove any ability of individual developers to push applications. Some will say the costs ain't that high, but (1) maybe not in USD dollars for Americans and (2) both Google and Apple will push those numbers way up high soon.

Even if that is not the case, if you don't agree with anything and you decide to have your own version of your family wiki, messenger or anything, they will be able to tell the authorities about it.

This is insane....

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