this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2025
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Starting next year, Google will begin to verify the identities of developers distributing their apps on Android devices, not just those who distribute via the Play Store.

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[–] mybuttnolie@sopuli.xyz 62 points 6 days ago (6 children)

linux phones please hurry!

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[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 60 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Hasn’t Apple been losing in court across the world for doing exactly this?

[–] Xatolos@reddthat.com 17 points 6 days ago

No, it's nothing like what Apple's been doing.

Apple has been losing in court about everyone needs to give them money anytime anything makes any money on iOS, or even thinking absolutely allowing others to install anything beyond their App Store.

This is Google demanding every app that can be installed on Android must be signed by them, and the only cost is registering with them your name and address, possibly verified by government ID. (And quite possible doxxing you at the same time as they already do on the Play Store....)

These are very different, and unlike Apple, will more likely be applauded by numerous world governments in the current "anything a child can even remotely even know about" must have its users be checked to make sure they are "allowed to".

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 50 points 6 days ago (3 children)

It really is past time we saw serious work on a mobile flavor of Linux. Not AOSP, not anything whatsoever downstream of Google, but a regular Linux distro with a mobile friendly DTE.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Sadly, it only runs on genuinely ancient smart phones. I can't even re-purpose my old pre-loved phones that I've kept after upgrading, because most of them are still too new for postmarketos

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[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 27 points 6 days ago
[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 30 points 6 days ago (1 children)

In short, they make independent stores impossible?

[–] festus@lemmy.ca 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Mostly; they just force themselves into the process for publishing each app and have an effective veto on apps. So yeah, no stores fully independent of Google.

[–] xthexder@l.sw0.com 8 points 6 days ago

... Didn't the EU JUST fine Apple half a billion euros over the same thing?

[–] xcjs@programming.dev 25 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] chaospatterns@lemmy.world 11 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Who organized this form? Is there something official to make it look like it's not just signing me up for spam?

[–] xcjs@programming.dev 11 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

A valid question.

It's the official survey form from the Android Developer page on the matter: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides

[–] ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Guess I'm going back to a dumbphone next time because I'm NOT letting Google see what I'm downloading, I'd rather carry a laptop all day.

[–] 3laws@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

GrapheneOS works likea champ on my used Pixel 7 Pro, it was less than 100USD about 6m ago

[–] jcs@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

There are alternatives to Google and Apple products. I recommend the MNT Pocket Reform if you'd like a full keyboard, or a Librem 5 if you prefer a more typical smartphone form factor.

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[–] SugarCatDestroyer@lemmy.world 16 points 6 days ago

Damn, it feels like someone is treating a 1984 novel like an instruction...

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 15 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Permissive licenses were a mistake.

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[–] ritten@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago

Fuck google, verify my ass motherfuckers

[–] InnerScientist@lemmy.world 12 points 6 days ago

And here I thought I wouldn't root or flash my next phone.

[–] ratzki@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 6 days ago (5 children)

This will not apply to GrapheneOS, right?

It won't apply to GrapheneOS. It only applies to certified OSes and GrapheneOS is not certified because it doesn't license Google Mobile Services.

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[–] Balldowern@lemmy.zip 9 points 6 days ago

So I guess my next phone will be a Chinese phone. Even if it spies on me, I'll have the freedom to install whatever I want from anywhere.

The Chinese have a golden window of opportunity. Let's hope they don't mess this up.

[–] cookie019@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

If I understood correctly they use DMA as an additional justification. Thank you, EU parlament.

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[–] Lutra@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago
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