Google has quietly softened a policy that many thought would completely fracture the Android ecosystem in two by blocking normal Android users from free and open-source software (FOSS) applications. In #TBOT 15 I explained that the proposed developer‑verification requirements would have forced developers to hand over their app IDs and signing keys to Google. That move would have made it impossible to install many privacy‑focused or community‑maintained applications directly from their source code.
After this first announcement and a unanimous backlash across the internet, Google is now allowing “developers and power users” to install these applications, but they’re making them jump through hoops to do it.
This means it will be hard to install “unverified” apps on Android-licensed phones. Dark UI will make it cumbersome and difficult, effectively cutting off billions of people from open-source apps that don’t want to hand the keys over to Google.
Google’s Lame Excuse
Google’s original blog cited an internal study that supposedly shows a higher proportion of malicious apps on the open web than on the Play Store. Unfortunately, the post provides no concrete numbers, no methodology, and no clear definition of what counts as “malicious.”
In the follow-up blog, the only anecdote offered is a single Southeast Asian malware app—presented without a name or any indication of how representative it is of the broader ecosystem.
From Prison Wall to Barbed Wire
The original proposal resembled a prison wall—completely preventing sideloading. The current “advanced flow” is more like a barbed‑wire fence: you can get through, but it hurts.
Remember, these changes will go into effect in 2027. Once the app verification service is live, the process can be “updated” to lock apps entirely with little public oversight.
Google is signaling that free access to software is discouraged, and only Google can be the wise arbiter for the software choices of the entire world.
What Users Can Do Right Now
Consider de‑googled alternatives: If you’re uncomfortable with a future where Google controls every install path, look into devices that ship with a de‑googled Android build (e.g., GrapheneOS, DivestOS).
Support open‑source ecosystems: Contribute to or promote repositories that host verified builds of privacy‑respecting apps, reducing reliance on any single distribution channel.
This is a segment from #TBOT Show Episode 18. Watch the full episode here:
#TBOT 18: U.S Age Verification, Apple's Digital ID, Cloudflare Takes Down The Internet
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