- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.ml
- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.ml
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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Damn, it feels like someone is treating a 1984 novel like an instruction…
Let Google know what you think about this: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN3UQeNspQsZCO2ITkdzMxv81rJDEGGjO-UIDDY28Rz_GEVA/viewform
Who organized this form? Is there something official to make it look like it’s not just signing me up for spam?
A valid question.
It’s the official survey form from the Android Developer page on the matter: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides
will I be able to install the Google Play store on graphino S
Right now? Yeah, its very easy to do, and there’s a download link for it included in GrapheneOS’s preinstalled app-store.
I am however worried that eventually Google will make running custom software (apks, alternate firmwares) so difficult that development for those will stop long term.
Verify my balls, Google.
I’d be careful yknow, I hear they hired Barry Zuckercorn
He’s very good!
if you’ve ever sent a nude, they probably can.
How are they going to enforce this? Is side loading getting some extra signing step only Google can provide?
I shouldn’t need to go through Google at all to release an Android app if it’s not on their store. This is bullshit
Any device with Google Play services will enforce this. Any device that does not have Google Apps and services will not enforce this.
In this case, China actually has a leg up over the West because they haven’t had Google Play services for a long time.
I’m so glad I degoogled my phone already. Fuck Google!
I know right. I am degoogle class of 2019, and I’m so glad to have done so.
China is pushing in the same direction. The government want to develop Harmony OS that is gonna have compatibility issues with .apk installs and they could design it in such a way to make VPNs unusable. China is a State Capitalist regime, they will learn all the tricks that the west is using and do their capitalism with an even more stronger grip.
China is not FOSS friendly. Remember how Reddit is keep nagging you to install their app and make an account. Well in China, a lot of their platform/services doesn’t even have a desktop client, or even a web browser log-in. You can try visiting some of the mainland Chinese websites yourself. They force you to enter a phone number to sign up and some even require you to scan qr code with their phone app to log in to the website (meaning you’re supposed to sign up in their phone app first, PC use is considered “secondary”). Almost everything requires an app on a smartphone.
We are looking at nothing less than the death of the internet. Needing to give your ID to access Spotify. Not being able to install software on the device you purchase.
Didn’t realize the device in my pocket was google’s
You are going to learn.
“With software there are only two possibilities: either the users control the program or the program controls the users. If the program controls the users, and the developer controls the program, then the program is an instrument of unjust power.”
- Richard M. Stallman
and just like that google expands their walled garden and becomes apple 2
remember when the internet was an open platform and computers were yours to run programs you wanted?
We had it coming… I do let my thoughts Go, that you Someehen need to identify yourself to even connect to the internet.
They didn’t apply laws to regulate some stuff, so now they start hammering down to enforce Control.
And big tech and companies will absolutely be one of the hardest Driver for this. There are Potential new ways to make Money. Basically a wet dream for especially big tech.
It’s about to get even worse. With AI and deepfakes, including deepfake porn, it will become impossible to argue against the complete and total tracking of all access to compute for the general population. There will be literally no justifiable reason to do it, when children could get hurt.
Why am I using an Android device then? Also how would this even work with open source apps that people build from source?
You build an app from source, I assume you’ll get a prompt on your phone that says it can’t run because it’s not signed.
Another article did mention that it’s only for devices with Play Protect enabled so if they keep that as easy as it is to disable right now, it’ll be a non issue actually.
Until play protect becomes mandatory
I could see them making it a developer option, then force you to agree to giving up your warranty if you wanna turn on sideloading, and maybe even trigger a play intergrity thing that makes banking apps unusable.
I sure hope not, it’d mess up corporate deployments and all too.
Another article did mention that it’s only for devices with Play Protect enabled so if they keep that as easy as it is to disable right now, it’ll be a non issue actually.
I’ll register an account and share my signing cert for y’all to use. I don’t care.
Then they’ll ban you for life like they do other people who violate their rules, and they’re very good at banning people who try to open new accounts and banning people who have any links to you.
Google loves unpersoning.
If it starts for real, the freedom of Android is lost.
We need to sue them 1000 times and more before they can even start this.
Maybe we should just go to Huawei، they have their own OS.
Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul
Or, said in the common corporate tongue, “embrace, extend, extinguish”.
There dies the last remaining reason to use Android.
And use what instead?
Linux. The mobile ecosystem will have to mature fast though.
I don’t think it will. It hasn’t so far, despite there having been linux phones in the past, and it’s got the Windows Phone/Symbian problem where users don’t go to it because it lacks support for the apps they use, and developers don’t support it because it doesn’t have much by way of users.
That’s why we need to move to it - be the egg that becomes the first chicken.
Let’s hope, gaming on Linux has become so good I un installed windows completely…
There are a few key issues with mobile Linux:
- UIs that have simply not gotten any attention
- A severe lack of decent hardware
- Scaled down desktop apps on a phone (seriously who thought this was a good idea)
- No security whatsoever
- Basic features missing or requiring a significant degree of tinkering to get working such as audio or calling
You say that like there’s a better alternative
There’s iOS. It works great, but has no real sideloading. Android works meh, but had proper sideloading. Now Android will no longer have it, so you might as well bite the bullet on the OS with better hardware integration.
I’d argue it doesn’t “just work” any longer. I recently left iOS for Android, after 10 years with an iPhone. The keyboard was the first issue, the OS stalling and making the device heat up was another. The lack of actual smarts got a bit annoying, too. You ask Siri something and it goes down a k-hole.
I’ll probably end up on a Fairphone without any Google tripe, which is a shame, because I quite like my new OnePlus 13.
Apple is basically the default (at least in the US) so if Android cant offer significantly more theres not much reason to use it
iPhones are too expensive for some people. Not everyone has $500 lying around.
You can’t get an iPhone for $100, an unlocked Motorola phone is only about $100, if you get a carrier locked version its like $30-$40 (and you can carrier unlock them 60 days after activation, just get the cheapest 30 day plan will do, you don’t even need 60 days of service to get it unlocked.
Pricing wise, Android phones will still have advantages, even with google’s autocratization.
They’re already starting to clamp down on sideloading. I use Aurora Store out of principle, but it’s getting more and more common that apps will refuse to launch if not downloaded from the Play Store. I get the risk of sideloading maliciously modified banking apps or whatever, but surely you could just compare a checksum or something?
I guess it’s time to switch to developing apps for Linux mobile distro
The only reason I like android is cuz I can make my own apks and use them without issue.
