Google plans to begin verifying the identity of all developers who distribute apps on Android, even if it's outside the Play Store, starting September 2026
A new layer of security for certified Android devices
They even directly lie in the headline
to keep it open and safe
This is only for certified devices so if you're using custom mods nothing will change.
For open source Android devs it means that now they will have to hand Google their data or people with stock android won't be able to install their apps.
Does that mean it's finally time for a Linux phone?
Sounds like it could be a sign to try out !postmarketos@programming.dev
They're saying that
For student and hobbyist developers
We're committed to keeping Android an open platform for you to learn, experiment, and build for fun. We recognize that your needs are different from commercial developers, so we're working on a separate type of Android Developer Console account for you.
but I wonder how is the device going to tell between these different types of APKs? Like it already says it's an untrusted source will it just say "hobbyist or student package" when you install? and is basically just changing the text really gonna improve security?
It will either allow installation or reject the app. You simply won't be able to install an app from banned/unverified developer.
Annnd... platform closed. It was good while it lasted I guess.
Good might be an overstatement, less shit than the others perhaps.
Nah man it was good. Until recently Android was a pretty nice experience, and the shitty parts weren't even really Android's fault. Lack of software updates and being unable to switch to another Android distro? You can blame the stupid decisions of ARM for that.
What a coincidence, I was planning to buy a Linux phone.
Guess I'll buy a Fairphone, use whatever is the latest update before this crap, and ride it until it dies or global warming takes us, whichever comes first.
I'm not buying hardware that interferes with what software I can run.
Welp, another reason to use Lineage without Play services
Has its shortcomings unfortunately...
E.g. even though most of my important contacts don't exclusively rely on Whatsapp any more, the alternative that has established itself as a kind of consensus is Signal, which is only available via Playstore, if I'm not mistaken.
Same is true for my banking app that is needed for my day-to-day bank account.
Same is also true for governmental service apps or the ID app to authenticate once before e.g. being able to use a new SIM card.
List goes probably on, these are just the things that have come spontaneously to my mind.
This complete reliance on OS's from a private companies (Apple not being better) with their own agenda sucks.
And LineageOS isn't the solution it has been a few years back any more, I am afraid... :-(
Time to bail 😔
It's not super clear from the post whether this means that you have to pay for a developer account. It says there will be a new type of account for students and hobbyists?
You already have to pay for a dev account.
Yeah they meant is that going to stay the case or will there be a new free account type?
I don't think it makes any difference. Money isn't the issue.
What sucks about this is most people can't do anything about it. Open, custom rom / Linux friendly smartphones aren't widely available. You're pretty much screwed if you are somewhere other than EU or North America.
The most you could do is raise money for an iPhone to at least have software support for longer, since at that point there is no other difference between the two. Or you can buy a feature phone if you really don't want to deal with the Apple tax and use your phone for basic stuff anyway.
Edit: There is another option, FOSS devs can rely on PWAs and you can switch to using those until they are also taken away.