- 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.
hopefully this will cause more hand support & financial support towards linux phone
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.
I will not register any of my applications with this fascist garbage, I’d rather deprecate them and stop developing on android altogether.
As a developer of 4 FOSS android apps (both on f-droid and the play store): Does anyone know if there’s an existing campaign by other devs to oppose this, and boycott the play store until they cave? I’d be happy to participate.
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.
Let’s talk security:
- No smart phones
- profit
In today’s digital age its not doable. You need a smartphone if you work, get medical assistance, access social media, do online payments.
Now, if you mentioned using an alternative OS like Linux we can agree.
(Coming from the US)
- Your personal device isn’t a work provide piece of equipment. They will provide one for you. Keep it professional like a work computer, don’t do personal things on it.
- there’s plenty of ways to get help medically = cvs, Walgreens, anyone can call 911, you don’t need to go to a hospital; there’s plenty of clients, those medical apps also have 1-800 numbers
- you don’t NEED access to social media and also use a tablet or computer
- tablet of computer, you’re not paying bills daily and payment cards still work.
Because we love developers we want them free to not complying to big corp Google spyware. Please devs love the users back and don’t comply!
All I heard was is “COMPLY”. Yeah, no thanks. I will keep my shades on.
- 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.
Isn’t the Magisk dev working at Google now? Would be funny if they sued him
Fuck you, Google.
This doesn’t fix anything
The problem is Google gate keeping the platform.
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?
No, but we have to approve it.
FTFY.
Or alternatively:
- Does this mean unverified sideloading is going away on Android?
Yes
Yeah, fuck that noise. They know exactly that this is the problem.
Yeah this sucks. And right after I made an app for the first time and everything
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.”
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.
