Google announced plans earlier this year to change a fundamental cornerstone of the Android ecosystem: sideloading. The plan was to force all developers to verify their identity, even those who had no interest in publishing via the Google Play Store.
This was a stark change compared to the status quo. Currently, developers may choose to publish their apps outside Google Play, for instance only on F-Droid, and they can do so unhindered.
Under the new system, they would be forced to verify their identity. Google says that this is for improving security, while third-party stores like F-Droid claim that it is the end of sideloading as we know it.
The main issue, from F-Droid’s perspective, is that Google is dishonest when it states that sideloading is not going away on Android. The reasoning is simple: the definition of sideloading is “the transfer of apps form web sources that are not vendor-approved”. Under the new system, developers need to register an account with Google, pay a fee, provide verification, e.g. with government IDs, accept the terms and conditions, and more.
Google published an update to its plans today on the Android Developers Blog. There, Google explained why it is introducing verification in first place (to keep users safe).
However, Google says that it has listened to feedback and decided to integrate an option for experienced users, students, hobbyists and developers.
It says that it is building “a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified”. This new flow is designed to ensure that users cannot be forced to bypass the safety checks, even when under pressure from scammers.
Additionally, Google wants to display clear warnings to help users understand the risks involved.
How this is going to work is unclear at this point. Google says that it will share more details in the coming months about this new option.
Still, it could be a good compromise that allows developers and users to install apps from other sources, even if they are not verified by Google.
Now it is your turn. What is your take on this? Is it a good compromise or would you like to see something else entirely? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
Google should focus on their own store first as it is the #1 source for android malware.
This is just two steps forward and one step back for google. The gradual erosion of user rights just needs to come slower in googles eyes.
As it is now even if you disable certain things they still nag you. They will make this so annoying as possible so people will be reluctant to use it or stick with it.
As it is with android and windows most people are actively looking for an alternative that they feel comfortable with or that will take over and rightly so. These companies have become garbage and lost touch with reality and their user base.
Just ask the jerk that is running Microsoft today.
No open source developer is going to pay a fee: it defeats the object of the whole FOSS exercise. Also, they’ll be plenty of workarounds I’m sure simply because the FOSS community won’t stand by and just let Google screw us all.
Apart from that, the Google play store is the primary source of all this malware, not side-loading apps from bone fide developers. Google needs to get real and cleanup its own act before attacking genuine app developers.
Not only that, no one is going to identify themselves to google. Many of these people are privacy focused and do not want to give away their identity which is why they develop such apps not to mention that some of these apps improve the end users experience but affect googles bottom line or go against their schemes and stupidity. Identifying yourself as a developer will just open you up to all sorts of liability and be under googles thumb.
As smug as these jerks are all they have to continue to do is continue to sow the seed of doubt in people and push them to search for alternatives or create a window of opportunity for other companies to fill the void. As long as that desire is created within those people there will always be a much larger chance that they will shift away from said company and its products. [relevant for Microsoft as well as many others]