What was the last time there were some actually good news in big tech? For those that don't hold stocks I mean.
Last week. The bags I’m holding for Intel got a little lighter. Lmao.
Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
201–210 of 1001 posts
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#202I cannot resist the urge to point out that we wouldn't have had this problem if people actually sticked to free software instead of "commercial use friendly" open source licensing
An interesting idea. But who would have to "stick" to such software? The users?
It seems to me that most of the users do not care much about what kind of software their phone runs, unfortunately. As long as it works with Instagram or whatever other big brand social media is trending these days, they are happy. Which is I think understandable.
The companies developing the apps are in my opinion driving this cultural shift. And they are doing it mostly because it brings them commercial advantages. Which is, I think, also understandable.
Everyone involved seems to to what appears to be in their best interest. And yet, collectively, we as a society get a worse outcome overall. This phenomenon perhaps has a name.
In order to break out of it, I think that the incentives on both sides need to be adjusted. It needs to be in the companies' interest to produce apps as open source. And the users need to want them.
The only way I can think of to achieve that kind of a change is when the open source apps and products become just inherently better than their proprietary alternatives. In all categories. Then, the people would want them. And then the companies will start to produce them.
It is a very tough goal. The commercial apps do not have to be better in all categories to retain their users. They can use vendor locks or other business strategies which restrict the users' ability to leave them.
Open source apps cannot do such things. The only fair ground on which they can compete is their quality.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#203I'm curious what is going to happen to all those Chinese ROMs and third-party Chinese app stores.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#204Will this affect GrapheneOS users who have Play Protect / Services disabled? Wondering how they intend to do the verification.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#205Year of mobile Linux OS? /s
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#206You know how folks in the UK are cutting the surveillance cameras, what is the equivalent here?
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#207I predict Windows will end up going this route before Google backtracks on it. This is the future; partially fuelled by malware, partially fuelled by the desire for platform control, and partially fuelled by government regulation.
Malware is the excuse. Control is the goal. Extracting as much money from people while providing less actual value.
The saddest part is this is to the detriment of literally everyone except a couple rich owners of those companies. And everyone has the right to vote. But western democracy is so indirect the people who understand and care have no way to change the law because their signal is lost in all the noise by those who don't know or don't care.
If the vote came down to people in favor of walled gardens or in favor of forcing companies to open their platforms, with everyone else not voting, it would be a landslide. But there's no way to vote on it this way.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#208Oh how I wish I could buy a Nokia N900 16 Pro Max and use Maemo 13
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#209Official 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…
> But it's hidden, apparently because keeping users from using it to block ads on apps is of greater concern to Google than keeping people safe. The internet permission has nothing to do with ads? It's a hidden permission because: 1) Internet connection is so ubiquitous as to just be noise if displayed 2) It's not robust, apps without Internet permission can still exfiltrate data relatively easily by bouncing off of…
I mean, I just did a quick look over the installed apps on this phone and ~1/4 of them would work perfectly well without an internet connection, things like a level or GPS speedometer that use the phone sensor or apps for Bluetooth control of devices [like 0] . Why would something like a bubble level app need internet access for anything besides telemetry or ads? I realize I have way more of these types of apps than the average user, but apps like this aren't a super-niche thing that would be on 0.1% of devices.
I just tend to give Google little benefit of the doubt here, considering where their revenue comes from. Same as when they introduced manifest v3, ostensibly for security but just conveniently happening to neuter adblocking. Disabling access to the internet permission for apps aligns with their profit motive.
Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android
#210> Google wants to combat “convincing fake apps”
Google can't even stop the scam ai companion apps on the play store that all use the same same backend full of characters...
Google also can't stop the huge wave of scam Bitcoin ads impersonating Canadian media outlets, with ai generated pictures and videos of politicians.
Get real Google.