The discussion I stumbled upon, about this SSH app for Android, is really worrying. Will Google really manage to make it impossible to root your phone?
But there’s more to this, it’s more complicated. In the Big Picture, Google has every incentive to make these changes — they lead to more security, and they’re aligned with Google’s corporate goals as well.
- When talking to users, Google will emphasize control over hackers.
- When talking to stockholders, Google will emphasize control over users.
Edit: I disagree with “they lead to more security”. That’s not “security”, let’s not turn words upside-down.
Yes. Everyone can just release a tweaked Android version and Google can’t really stop them.
But if you plan to ship Google services (including the play store, which effectively makes a device an “Android device” in many users eyes) then you will have to be able to pass Googles verification suite.
That’s already the case today and adding new requirements to that in new Android versions happens all the time.