- Does this mean sideloading is going away on Android?
Absolutely not. Sideloading is fundamental to Android and it is not going away. Our new developer identity requirements are designed to protect users and developers from bad actors, not to limit choice. We want to make sure that if you download an app, it’s truly from the developer it claims to be published from, regardless of where you get the app. Verified developers will have the same freedom to distribute their apps directly to users through sideloading or through any app store they prefer.
- Making APKs available to your test team
If your team’s current test process relies on distributing APKs to testers for installation using methods other than adb, you will need to verify your identity and register the package. This also applies if you make APKs available to your test teams through Google Play Internal Testing, Firebase App Distribution, or similar solutions through other distribution partners.
- Do I still need to register my apps if I’m only distributing to a limited number of users?
We recommend you register. It’s a simple, one-time process that will allow anyone to download and install your app. However, if you prefer not to, we are also introducing a free developer account type that will allow teachers, students, and hobbyists to distribute apps to a limited number of devices without needing to provide a government ID.
- What can I do to prepare for developer verification?
The best way to get ready and stay updated is to sign up for early access. We’ll start sending invitations in October.
We recommend you participate in developer verification because, even though verification is not required to develop apps with Android Studio, you will need it to distribute apps to certified Android devices. Apps installed through enterprise management tools on managed devices will also be installable without being registered.
After all that outcry. They only wrote about devs demanding longer. Conveniently ignoring fdroid’s post among others.
Even for hobby projects you would be required to create a limited developer account and submit government identification if you want to distribute apps to a larger audience.
Couldn’t you get around it with ADB?
Yes, but there’s no guarantee that remains true.
If you want to distribute an app to a larger audience you should be willing to do so. Sure you could say it’s everyone’s personal risk installing an unsigned app on their phone, but making these people compile the app themselves isn’t too much to ask for. Tools to automate this to the max will appear.
What kind of nonsense is this?
Go on, lick some more boots.
Getting off with just a wrist slap on their monopoly trial has embolden them. They think they’re untouchable now. I wouldn’t be surprised they have a backroom deal with the feds too.
Given the current corrupt and invulnerable administration, absolutely.
It’s the whole “if a fine is less than the profit, the fine is just considered a cost of business.”
“security” my ass
Year of the Linux phone.
I’ve been looking at Ubuntu Touch and thinking that it might be time to attempt virtualizing it and trying it out before I need a new device.
I really hope that the magnification and the screen reader are up to par because I’m a low vision user who really needs the accessibility to work.
- Does this mean sideloading is going away on Android?
Absolutely not. Your sideloaded app will simply refuse to run if the developer has not verified themselves with Google. This will cause any older app that is no longer updated to fail, as well as any apps by developers whom dislike Google’s repeated monopolistic behaviour, and opt-out of the program. In short, most apps currently sideloaded will no longer be able to. We call this ‘sideload rightsizing’. We will also be keeping users safe by suing the developers of apps we don’t like, such as Grayjay, FreeTube, NewPipe, Shizuku, and Magisk - this will be much easier with their government IDs showing their legal names and addresses.
Ftfy Google.
Fuck you, Google.
Google can go fuck themselves. I’ve at least started looking at Ubuntu Touch and potentially going to virtualize it and see how it works. I hope the accessibility is alright though because I rely on magnification and a screen reader to use my device. So I’m going to cross my fingers.
If most app developers comply and I can’t get apps on lineage or graphene anymore, and Linux isn’t accessible on mobile, I will just have to abandon mobile entirely and go back to my Linux laptop.
If this is adopted, soon github would require your SSN for writing hello world.
They already have it but it’s Microsoft, so yes
Not your SSN just your phone number…
All I heard was is “COMPLY”. Yeah, no thanks. I will keep my shades on.
TLDR:
Yes.
After this initiative, it will be real easy for google to identify the ones who build those “track ICE” apps and others that the powers that be may not be happy with.
Yeah, this is most infuriating thing about this. Other countries could compel any apps they deem bad and ask for identification.
how does one start repressions and censorship? by saying “it’s for your own safety”
You could do what I did and let them know via feedback that you’ll be leaving for Apple since its the same thing now.
I won’t actually be going to apple, but to a linuxphone, but saying Apple is probably going to have more impact so I went with that.
Edit: This is feedback to them linked in that page.
If you have a dev account, I recommend using it to give them feedback.
How are Apple and Google remotely the same
If we’re talking about loading apps - as in the subject of this post - pretty much exactly the same. Registered developer account, a walled garden ecosystem, etc.
Not at all
Android still has way more flexibility that iOS will ever have. App verification is very much a step in the wrong direction but it isn’t nearly as locked down as iOS.
Its more that from the position of optics stating you are going to leave for Apple is a bigger deal to Google than saying you are upset. Average person isn’t going to use adb or install a custom rom to get non play store apps working.
So just approaching it like a regular person who happens to use Android who isn’t super tech savvy saying might as well go to Apple if sideloading isn’t easy is more effective than ranting about sideloading from the position of an Android nerd. Those people are truly niche and less than 1% and would be dismissed with a laugh.
Please read the first comment in this chain again.
This doesn’t fix anything
The problem is Google gate keeping the platform.
How about let me know if the apk is from a verified publisher or show me “unknown publisher” and let me decide do i put it into my device.
It’s for your security! No choice! Only security!!
