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Answering questions about Android developer verification

android-developers.googleblog.com

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Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#111

Post by mayama »

runting wrote: post #105
estimator7292 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And by what mechanism can you prevent google from disabling adb? Or implementing a situation like iOS where sideloaded dev apps only last for a week and are signed with your personal developer key tied to your credit card? There's nothing to stop them, and absolutely no reason to think they won't take away adb sideloading in the near future.

Google have full control to do this on their Pixel devices by rolling out new firmware with further restrictions - though there is no evidence they plan to do so. However other vendors that build upon AOSP, such as Samsung, can make their own decisions on this.

> However other vendors that build upon AOSP, such as Samsung, can make their own decisions on this.

Pure AOSP devices are only some chinese knockoffs without play store. If your device needs play store/device integrity verification, there are lots are requirements by goog that needs to be met. Goog can add new requirement to disable installing unverified apps from adb.

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#112

Post by hn92726819 »

runting wrote: post #107
hn92726819 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you see the direction they're heading? They're now making it so maybe .5% of android users know how to sideload. They're clearly chipping away at it, even though they might not be making all the changes at once.

What fraction of users do you think have a legitimate need to sideload apps on Android? I would imagine it's much less than 0.5%. Developers and technically-minded power users must be a tiny minority amongst Android users given that it has an install base in the billions.

Right now, not many. My point is that they aren't flipping a giant switch from an open platform to a closed platform. They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone.

A few more years in this direction and Android can be as locked down as iPhone before Apple was forced to allow sideloading

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#114

Post by rcxdude »

runting wrote: post #103
rcxdude wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've made their intentions clear. As soon as third-parties start to use adb for sideloading there's a very good chance they start to lock that down as well.

That is speculation. Is there any evidence?

None that will satisfy your standards, given I think only the announcement from google themselves will.

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#115

Post by estimator7292 »

runting wrote: post #105
estimator7292 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And by what mechanism can you prevent google from disabling adb? Or implementing a situation like iOS where sideloaded dev apps only last for a week and are signed with your personal developer key tied to your credit card? There's nothing to stop them, and absolutely no reason to think they won't take away adb sideloading in the near future.

Google have full control to do this on their Pixel devices by rolling out new firmware with further restrictions - though there is no evidence they plan to do so. However other vendors that build upon AOSP, such as Samsung, can make their own decisions on this.

Sure, that's going really well for Graphene. What happens when AOSP is abandoned and google close-sources everything they can get away with? Do you expect users to start compiling years-old AOSP and rolling device trees themselves?

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#116

Post by m-p-3 »

runting wrote: post #32
ACCount37 wrote: post #10

Yep, it's as bad as everyone expected it to be. "We aren't taking away sideloading, we're just going to fully control it now! No Google-unapproved code on user devices! For security reasons!" Chrome isn't enough. We need Android to get clawed away from Google too.

Not really though, as you can still install apps over adb without developer verification, same as always.

Which is a clear roadblock for third-party appstores adoption, notably F-Droid which compiles and signs the apps it distributes.

What if F-Droid distributes an app Google or its US overlords deems dangerous or illegal? Will they block and/or revoke that signature, thus taking down F-Droid in its entirety?

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#117

Post by Klonoar »

MrDresden wrote: post #50
john61 wrote: post #19

The year of the Linux Phone is coming!

There sadly isn't a single viable option for a Linux mobile phone out there. - Purism runs ancient hardware, charges way too much and has questionable business ethics. - Pine64 has equally bad hardware but reasonable prices. I don't like the Hong-Kong connection though. Not sure how the security patching environment is in practice. The only option on the table as I see it is buying from the devil and installing Graph…

FuriLabs has shipped a usable device for going on two hardware releases now.

Yes, it currently builds on top of Hallium. Anyone who thinks this should be a sticking point has their head in the sand; the device and effort is how you get a usable ecosystem rolling.

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#118

Post by hn92726819 »

bitwize wrote: post #79
hn92726819 wrote: post #70

One interesting aspect of this is that when using a personal Android with a work profile, developer options and ADB is (or at least can be) disabled. BYOD will then imply you can't sideload at all.

And nothing of value was lost. BYOD means Corporate can push whatever spyware they want onto your personal phone. I tell any employer I work for, if you really need me to be reachable by phone via an app, you can supply me a work phone. Otherwise I'll do without. I keep a bright-line distinction between personal devices and work devices, and never mix the two. My boss knows this explicitly.

That's great for you, but not everyone has the ability to do that. Android has a massive markershare. What are the odds that all of them can force their employer to get them a new phone?

Maybe that's something employers shouldn't do, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a reality and google is overstepping with this change.

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#119

Post by N19PEDL2 »

wilsonnb3 wrote: post #93
b112 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, you have to wonder what they did wrong. Sure the Play store was dominant when they started their own store. Yet companies tend to have excellent success if they control the OS on the device. They could have offered no commission for 5 years, or some such. Does anyone reading this know if the contract they had to sign with Google, to have the Play store pre-installed, reduced their ability to compete? I mean…

They probably weren’t. Samsung does just enough work so that they could feasibly create their own fork of Android in the event of Google trying to fuck them. The Galaxy store is more of an insurance policy than a real product they expect people to use.

> Samsung does just enough work so that they could feasibly create their own fork of Android in the event of Google trying to fuck them.

This is the right time.

Re: Answering questions about Android developer verification

#120

Post by tencentshill »

N19PEDL2 wrote: post #119
wilsonnb3 wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They probably weren’t. Samsung does just enough work so that they could feasibly create their own fork of Android in the event of Google trying to fuck them. The Galaxy store is more of an insurance policy than a real product they expect people to use.

> Samsung does just enough work so that they could feasibly create their own fork of Android in the event of Google trying to fuck them. This is the right time.

Have you used a Tizen device lately? It's awful for UX, UI, and backend functionality with Smartthings.
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