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Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

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Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#871

Post by FollowingTheDao »

arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

These control freaks will not control me. Banking on GrapheneOS? The web app works fine.

More and more people are starting to see how you really own nothing anymore.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#872

Post by immibis »

miohtama wrote: post #837
arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

The EU is planning to make Play Store de facto mandatory, so no more Graphene in the EU https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/07/eu-age-verification...

Only if you want to use the age verification app.

The EU has different parts. This probably violates a constraint imposed by a different part, which the part pushing this hasn't noticed yet.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#873

Post by Nextgrid »

Ciantic wrote: post #789
arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

> "GNU/Linux" touch version that has a serious ecosystem That is a very hard problem, unless someone with serious name recognition like Linus Torvalds starts to lead that kind of effort, or a big company like Microsoft suddenly decides that putting 1 billion towards GNU/Linux would be in their interest. With small efforts, it will remain scattered. Crowdfunding has a lot of power if there is name recognition behind t…

A GNU/Linux phone is dead on arrival unless it provides features that the masses consider a benefit. It's been attempted countless times, and every time it fails to gain adoption because the benefits rarely outweigh the downsides (yes, I know I will get at least one free software maximalist disagree, but in general, adoption rates support my point: these phones are used by such a small minority they're effectively a measurement error in the data).

If anyone wants to give it a shot again, don't start with a GNU/Linux phone, start with something the masses actually will care about. Reverse-engineered, adversarially-interoperable social media apps for all the mainstream networks with no ads/dark patterns? Cool. Adblocking by default? Sure thing. Built-in support for a wide range of cloud providers (including standard protocols such as SFTP/S3/etc). And so on.

Address actual pain points that people have. "GNU/Linux" by itself does not address anything. The non-technical majority don't even know what that is or means, and even for technical people it isn't a perk by itself - sure, you can run whatever software you want... but you (or someone else) still need to write said software to begin with... or you could just trade a bit of money and "freedom" and buy an iPhone which doesn't have any of those problems.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#874

Post by immibis »

stronglikedan wrote: post #848
arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

I wouldn't use a bank that made it difficult for me to access my account. I don't know why most people do. I know why a few need to, but not most. There's a lot of unnecessary bedmaking going on in tech.

Because it's the only bank that doesn't require a mailing address and I don't have a mailing address.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#875

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

LineageOS still exists.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#876

Post by aucisson_masque »

fiverz wrote: post #853
87636899376 wrote: post #14

Official 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…

What is the hidden internet permission called? Is there any way to enable or see it?

No you can’t enable it, nowadays developer just declare if they want internet permission. Before, user could say « no, I don’t want you to have internet access ».

It’s something possible only on grapheneos as far as I know.

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#877

Post by geysersam »

giancarlostoro wrote: post #804
arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

> Android shouldn't be considered Open Source anymore That idea died for me long ago, I had used Android since 2009 till 2020. I gave up on the dream of a Linux phone. Ubuntu had a nice sleek Phone UI they were working on. The issue is if nobody builds the phones and no carrier cares, nobody will pick it up. You need to push yourself into the market. Microsoft could fill this weird gap if they wanted to the key thing…

Not sure porting the apps would be such a big problem.

You could probably get away with porting only a tiny fraction of all apps.

I only use ~10-20 apps. If I was sure those work reliably I'd not hesitate to move.

Here's a list for anyone who's interested:

* Firefox * Money / bank * Identity * Maps * Email / calendar * Public transport * Chat (Whatsapp, signal, telegram, Facebook messenger, hangout, slack, discord..) * Camera * Music * Podcasts * YouTube * Taxi * Renting bikes * Parking * Digital "postbox" (not email) * Gym * 2FA * Calculator * Phone/SMS * Google Drive

Re: Google will allow only apps from verified developers to be installed on Android

#879

Post by hilbert42 »

ktosobcy wrote: post #826
arielcostas wrote: post #765

Meaning to use your device you need to have a contractual relationship with a foreign (unless you are in the US) third party that decides what you can or cannot do with it. Plus using GrapheneOS is less of an option every day, since banks and other "regulated" sectors use Google Play Protect and similar DRMs to prevent you from connecting from whatever device you want. Client-side "trust" means the provider owning th…

This is the problem - many apps refusing to run on non-blesses platform. Years ago I loved tinkering with the devices but then I wasn't able to use my bank and it was getting more and more annoying so at one point I just stopped... The biggest problem are: 1) lack of drivers (so creating custom roms/OS for the devices is problematic), 2) locked bootloaders and 3) many apps requiring PlayServices and other stuff (most…

"Years ago I loved tinkering with the devices but then I wasn't able to use my bank and it was getting more and more annoying so at one point I just stopped..."

Until now I've steadfastly refused to use banking on my smartphones because of these problems (and I usually use rooted phones).

The trouble is it's becoming more and more difficult to avoid phone payments/banking. My solution is to get a small phone specifically dedicated for the purpose and use it for no other purpose (it's a pain but the best compromise). That way I don't have to worry about my main smartphone.

Of course, the best solution would be for governments to regulate for banks to accept multiple access/payment system of which there are a number. Standardized and regulated protocols would solve many of these problems but that's a too bigger subject to address here.

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