I really don't see how Google will make Samsung and the big Chinese Android phone manufacturers (Xiaomi, OnePlus, ...) put this crap on their own custom Android distributions, especially because all these guys know that if they do it will have a very severe cost -- Besides Play and the Galaxy Store F-Droid is probably the third most popular distribution channel for Android apps on Galaxy devices, for example.
So I do think the only people who will be really affected by this are those running Google's own Pixel devices which are entirely locked into the Play ecosystem. The rest not so much.
Google is used to put their shit into the Google Play Store contract they have with manufacturers.
Samsung, XiaoMi and OnePlus will let this pass because that will be that or losing access to Play Store. Oh and also they frankly don’t care at all because 99% of people will not know.
Android distribution are already incredibly shitty and most people are used since the 90s to have their computers and now their phones full of junk software. The average smartphone is not that different from the average windows XP/Vista PC of the 2000 era, with crapware everywhere, apps that are doing a lot of malicious things without the user even knowing (or frankly, caring).
For you and me it’s something unacceptable, but for most people it’s just the nth layer of enshitification.
> But you can still install whatever you want over ADB...
...if you wait 24 hours.
And also thanks to the new Google Play attestation API a lot of apps won't even work on alternative Android OS'es. But that's all needed in the name of security. Never mind if your Samsung Galaxy phone is EOL and hasn't been receiving updates for 4 years anymore. It still works with the attestation API. But the fully updated GrapheneOS phone is a real security hazard apparently, so it won't work with it.
So no, you can't just run everything you want via side-loading. It's pretty obvious Google is making a power play to curb down on everything that isn't going via Google Play.
Ok, that's some good news. Still leaves the attestation API though. Which makes using a non-Google sanctioned device a non-viable option. Also don't forget that the source code for Android is now, since 2026, only released twice a year (i.e. every 6 months).
So overall it's quite clear which direction Google is moving in. They are clamping down on the ecosystem.
I have couple apps from f-droid, and I'm not prepared for this. Let's hope something happens, otherwise rip.
I really don't see how Google will make Samsung and the big Chinese Android phone manufacturers (Xiaomi, OnePlus, ...) put this crap on their own custom Android distributions, especially because all these guys know that if they do it will have a very severe cost -- Besides Play and the Galaxy Store F-Droid is probably the third most popular distribution channel for Android apps on Galaxy devices, for example.
So I do think the only people who will be really affected by this are those running Google's own Pixel devices which are entirely locked into the Play ecosystem. The rest not so much.
It's already installed on every Google-certified Android device through the Google Play Services
It's part of Google Play Services, so it's already integrated into Xiaomi, OnePlus etc phones.
Google is used to put their shit into the Google Play Store contract they have with manufacturers.
Samsung, XiaoMi and OnePlus will let this pass because that will be that or losing access to Play Store. Oh and also they frankly don’t care at all because 99% of people will not know.
Android distribution are already incredibly shitty and most people are used since the 90s to have their computers and now their phones full of junk software. The average smartphone is not that different from the average windows XP/Vista PC of the 2000 era, with crapware everywhere, apps that are doing a lot of malicious things without the user even knowing (or frankly, caring).
For you and me it’s something unacceptable, but for most people it’s just the nth layer of enshitification.
more the end of google certified android phones: https://www.republicworld.com/tech/lineageos-rejects-googles...
I never thought I’d need to go back to custom ROMs, but here we are.
Bad title. It should read "Android Developer Verification" or something similar.
It's Holwerda's typical absolutist, extreme take.
... as an open platform. Android as a mobile and home device OS is approaching 4 billion.
Hackers will be concerned with the open platform.
I lost a lot of sympathy for these campaigns when they started to use hyperbole.
ADV is not a virus, nor a trojan horse.
> killing the ability to install your own software on your phone
But you can still install whatever you want over ADB...
> But you can still install whatever you want over ADB...
...if you wait 24 hours.
And also thanks to the new Google Play attestation API a lot of apps won't even work on alternative Android OS'es. But that's all needed in the name of security. Never mind if your Samsung Galaxy phone is EOL and hasn't been receiving updates for 4 years anymore. It still works with the attestation API. But the fully updated GrapheneOS phone is a real security hazard apparently, so it won't work with it.
So no, you can't just run everything you want via side-loading. It's pretty obvious Google is making a power play to curb down on everything that isn't going via Google Play.
> ...if you wait 24 hours.
False.
ADB is not restricted at all, the moment you enable developer options and enable ADB you can install an APK.
The Google "wait 24 hour" flow only triggers if you install an APK off the web.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1rzd0is/mishaal_ra...
Ok, that's some good news. Still leaves the attestation API though. Which makes using a non-Google sanctioned device a non-viable option. Also don't forget that the source code for Android is now, since 2026, only released twice a year (i.e. every 6 months).
So overall it's quite clear which direction Google is moving in. They are clamping down on the ecosystem.
> Still leaves the attestation API though. Which makes using a non-Google sanctioned device a non-viable option
The attestation API isn't Google 'being evil', it exists as part of legal requirements that exists, namely for financial and banking applications.
Any alternative platform that wanted similar kind of apps would almost certainly have to implement a similar system.
> Ok, that's some good news
The fact you thought wrong shows the confusion being caused by these factually incorrect articles.
What legal requirements are you referring to?
> as part of legal requirements that exists, namely for financial and banking applications.
Please cite the laws or regulations you’re referring to, because I don’t think there are any.
[delayed]
Same kind of hyperbole that Google uses saying that "they have to do this because it's too dangerous for users to install whatever they want"
By definition Google Mobile Services are a rootkit and have always been, not only since ADV...
Oh no, hyperbole! How ever will you recover?!
This has the same energy as “I lost a lot of sympathy for these political protests when they mildly inconvenienced me on my commute.”
If you don’t agree with something, just say so. You don’t need to hide behind fake pearl clutching.
It does as much good for the cause as those climate activists who glue themselves to motorways and block ambulances.
So quite a lot then?