Google says it’s no different than checking IDs at the airport.
This is just another form of censorship, control of what we can/can't see and engage with, and another means of getting our private information.
Alternative forks of AOSP (Android Open-Source Project) which are not maintained by Google and will not be affected by this:
LineageOS (I use this one)
Graphene OS
Functionally they are virtually identical to stock Android. Android began as an open-source project, and these versions are built off of that.
Fuck Google.
for those like me who cannot install alternative android forks on their phone because the phone in question is thoroughly unrootable, I would recommend downloading anyapk on your phone while you still can. In their own words:
anyapk is a lightweight Android application installer that bypasses Google's developer verification requirements by using local ADB (Android Debug Bridge) connections. Smoothly install any APK file on your device without restrictions, gatekeepers, or corporate approval.
If you're reading this after Google's lockdown date and are unable to install anyapk the regular way, there is a method outlined on the github linked above which tells you how to install anyapk on your phone by plugging it into a computer with ADB installed on it. Once you have anyapk on your phone, you will not have to do that ever again (unless you delete anyapk off your phone)
[Description for the first image:
a tweet by @/Pirat_Nation:
From September 2026, all apps, including those outside the Play Store, must come from verified developers.
No more anonymous sideloads. No quick comebacks for malware gangs.
First: Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand.
end description]
[Description for the second image: a post from jrepin that reads:
"Sideloading" is the rentseeker word for "being able to run software of your choosing on a computing device you purchased". There is no reasonable case for an operating system developer having a say over what programs you run on your hardware.
--Eugen Rochko of Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/115093185284473606]
