this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2025

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125

Let's talk security: Answering your top questions about Android developer verification (android-developers.googleblog.com)

submitted 4 days ago by limerod@reddthat.com to c/android

84 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

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[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I've been thinking about strategies to get Google to back down on this. And I think the most viable strategy is to let them know that we will all move to iOS if they go through with it. If they lock down their OS, then we might as well use the OG locked down OS and turn to Apple. We only have to make this convincing enough.

I don't want to go to the dark side either. But as the light is going out on this side: I'm gonna need a new phone within the next 12-18 months. For the first time since ditching my blackberry I'm thinking about switching again. And for the first time ever I'm seriously thinking about an iPhone. All my purchases and what not be dammed. LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO, GOOGLE!

[–] Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

And I think the most viable strategy is to let them know that we will all move to iOS if they go through with it

They are both corrupt. Just read this today:

Apple removes ICEBlock, won’t allow apps that report locations of ICE agents

The only option is to not use American products and services whenever possible.

[–] Eagle0110@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

This would not help us much at all, Google clearly doesn't consider iOS a completing platform because Google's core business is still advertising not selling phones or phone OS (which Apple does both since all iPhones are iOS devices and all iOS phones are iPhones). And on iPhones Google already have most of their ads delivery platform and services offered, you have iOS apps for YouTube, YouTube Music and all of them, while the closed nature of iOS makes it even more difficult for people to do things like blocking Google's ads with system-wide adblockers or bypassing YouTube ads with modded YouTube clients, like you can easily so on Android.

Not to mention iPhones such soooo much more than a locked down Android since on Android it's still much easier to root as long as you have a phone with unlocked bootloader, than to jailbreak literally any iOS device, since iOS jailbreaking actually requires exploits and Android still has mostly a Linux kernel so a lot of the tools work out of the box, while iOS does not at all and has a very different OS architecture.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Apple sucks though

It is like going out of the pot and into the fire