If you haven’t seen this yet, Google is planning to require mandatory developer identity verification for all Android apps, including apps distributed outside the Play Store, taking effect September 2026. This affects every independent and open source Android developer directly.
This is not just about the Play Store. After September 2026, on any certified Android device, applications from unverified developers will be blocked by default. The only proposed bypass, the “advanced flow”, exists only as a blog post and has not appeared in any beta, dev preview, or canary release. No one outside Google has seen it.
The community has been fighting back at keepandroidopen.org:
- Read the full breakdown of what this means
- Sign the open letter (organisations only)
- Contact your national regulators — contacts listed by country on the site
- Add the countdown banner to your project
September 2026 is closer than it looks. The time to push back is now.
This is actually awesome. Pretty simple reason: Push more developers to Linux based phoneOS’s.
DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS!
They truly are responsible for the value of a platform.
Moved to GrapheneOS because of this crap
Grotesque
I’m not giving them my face id or finger print, fuck them. If this change sticks my next device will be an iPhone.
or device pin
It doesn’t sound like you would have to.
I hate being that guy, but at this point we’re just jumping from a frying pan to another.
Pretty much, that’s just where we are at. What made Android preferable to me was the freedom it offered and Android vendors kept chipping away at that for years. With this change implemented Android will be nothing more than cheap iOS, by then you may as well raise money to get the real thing or cheap out harder by buying a feature phone if doing so is an option.
At this point, apart from a lack of funds, there is no incentive to remain in android. Most people will switch to ios and some to linux phones.
Most people won’t give 2 shits or even be aware of the change.
I’m mostly annoyed about the reboot and wait period.
I can guide my users through selecting the right options, but rebooting your phone is a nuisance. And getting back in touch with them after 24 hours loses the sense of urgency to install my app and probably at that point they’re already gone.
It really doesn’t matter if it’s 24 hours or 5 minutes.
Hopefully some popular OEMs choose not to implement this so it’s possible to know based on the user agent if the user is unlikely to be able to sideload.
The situation has changed recently.
Google backed down from this being mandatory this week. There will be an option to allow side loaded apps but it will require a 24h delay to enable.
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-android-sideloading-unverified-apps-new-rules-3650343/
Imagine loading a website but you need to wait for 24 hours to be able to access it
Wait a 24 hour delay? Damn. I heard a month or so ago that they had planned to back down on the strict sideloading ban, and came into the comments to point that out. But a mandatory 24 hour waiting period (something, if memory serves, America can’t even do to own literal deadly weapons)‽ Geez that’s way worse than I was expecting.
adb is notably unaffected by this if i recall correctly - please correct me if i’m wrong
If not now, it will be soon. Why are we pretending they care?
Regulators won’t be any help - Apple has always been even more locked down than that, and no one forbade it, so how are they gonna stop Google from doing the same? IMO the only way out is to leave Android and turn to Linux completely (that means Linux hardware adaptation layers, no more Android anywhere). Some phones have already been made like this
But regulators forced Apple to open up a bit
Surely this will lead to the balkanisation of Android.
Motorola is going to grapheneos, Xiaomi etc go with their own app stores and so on.
They’ve officially outlined the advanced flow process, and adb is exempt from even that.
Muta’s video on this:
This is what happens when you don’t have strong competitors. We need to promote more independent OS platforms for smartphones like Linux distros.
Every single time competitor appeared, they were ignored. Blackberry, Symbian, Windows 8/Mobile.
Microsoft even tried throwing money at app developers to bridge the biggest gap aka apps, but most companies didn’t even want their money, perceiving porting as too troublesome.
It’s actually a shame, because Windows Phone was actually good. It featured a much more user/task-centric UI, letting users think about what they want to do, rather than which app they need to use to do it. Of course, this was bad for apps’ ability to gain and reinforce brand recognition. So of course they didn’t want to support it.
Honestly this, I thought the windows phone was really good. That said I’ll never forgive Microsoft for buying nokia and effectively killing Meego (yes I know sailfish is a thing but it’s pretty stunted growth wise)
What? BlackBerry was ignored? BlackBerry existed before Android and iOS. It was Android and iOS that killed BlackBerry.
AKA: Don’t waste time and energy fighting google, spend it helping GNU phones.
Which GNU project are you buying from/supporting?
You don’t need to wait for confirmation someone else is doing x before doing x yourself. Take the first step!
I’m confused about what point you’re making here. @kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com is asking for recommendations. How do they “take the first step” when they have no idea what’s good? Especially when they’re talking to someone who seems to already know which ones are good, and it’s very easy to ask their knowledgeable opinion.
Graphene os announced a partnership with Motorola. My next phone will be a Motorola with Graphene OS.
People don’t get it: it doesn’t matter Graphene or LineageOS. Its still Android and will still be bound to the same limitations, unless you go fully degoogled which means give up on internet banking, cardless payments and government apps. (And much more like m Donalds app and more… But I don’t care for those)
We need open trust platform not one controlled by Google, Graphene or lineage are just not valid alternatives. We need a Linux phone.
This is the route I’ve gone, also if you think any bank, or government is going to suddenly support a Linux phone I’ve got bad news
We need a Linux phone.
For now a linux phone will still lack native banking apps, cardless payment and government apps. Unless the app can run on a degoogled OS (Graphene, waydroid, etc.).
By open trust platform do you mean something akin to play protect?
Graphenes is degoogled and can support play services in a locked down environment so it doesn’t have full control of your entire system. Play services is what is expected to be used to do the verification process.
Motorola should make their own wallet app that works on graphene os.
Hopefully they launch it before September, it certainly seems like it will take longer.
I’m using a Motorola 5G Ace with /e/ OS and its been a great phone (camera is just OK)
My next phone will be a Motorola with Graphene OS.
I’m thinking maybe my next phone is a dumb phone that can only make calls and maybe text. They still make those, right?
LightPhone?
They were supposed to fight evil, not join it.
They were supposed to make all the money by any means necessary as dictated by the capital, and they are doing that.
Don’tbe evil.Corporate has decided that the rules are too long and need to be trimmed a little.
They’ve removed that phrase from their ethos a long time ago
Literally. It was big news.
Opinions invited.
I currently have a Motorola Edge 50 Neo. It’s a great phone, a little more than a year(?) old. It can’t have LineageOS due to it’s Dimensity chipset.
I’m considering buying a Fairphone 6, then put LineageOS on it.
Is the Fairphone decent? How’s the camera?
Are there any other phones that I should consider (decent camera, will run LineageOS or similar)? Maybe the new Jolla phone?
I am currently using the Fairphone 6 with e/OS and I am very happy with it.
Not a heavy phone user though, as in I don’t really take pictures or play hardware heavy games etc, so I wouldn’t know how FP6 competes on those fronts.
But for everything else it has worked really well!
Thanks for replying. I don’t play games. I’m definitely a light phone user however I like to take photos when I’m out hiking/biking. This Motorola actually takes good photos, even though it’s a “budget” phone, so I’d like something equal or better.
Looking at the hardware it almost seems like they are using the same rear camera:
Motorola:
50 MP Sony Sensor - LYTIA ® 700C f/1.8 Blende 1 µm Pixelgrösse | Quad-Pixel-Technologie für 2 µm Quad PDAF Optische Bildstabilisierung (OIS) 13 MP Kamera mit Ultra-Weitwinkelobjektiv (120° Sichtfeld) Macro Vision f/2.2 Blende 1,12 µm Pixelgrösse PDAF 10 MP Teleobjektiv 3x optischer Zoom f/2.0 Blende 1,0 µm Pixelgrösse PDAF Optische Bildstabilisierung (OIS)
FP6:
50MP Sony Lytia 700C sensor, 1/1.56", 1.0μm pixel size Quadpixel Autofocus, 10 cm minimum focusing distance, time of flight sensor Up to 10x digital zoom Optical (OIS) image stabilization Ultra Wide camera: Image sensor: 13MP, 1/3.06", 1.12μm pixel size ƒ2.2 5 elements Autofocus, Macro Mode, 2.5cm minimum focusing distance, time of flight sensor Electronic (EIS) image stabilization
But I am no expert, I’m sure there are differences due to software.
Ah damn, I messed up the formatting, but I think the info is discernible. They seem to be similar
Is the Fairphone decent?
Couldn’t tell you, because they refuse to sell them in my country. 😡
You should definitely consider the Jolla, but cameras are basically never great on degoogled devices, because flashing a new rom also deletes the OEM proprietary firmware, which was tailor-made for that device. What you get instead is a generic software that never comes close to matching the original quality. I think the hardware makers who sell degoogled phones, like Fairphone, would have chance to make good cameras, but none of them have actual years of experience making cameras, as companies like Samsung and Sony do.
I don’t need fancy processing on my photos as longs as it lets me capture some kind of raw format. For photos that I actually care about the quality, a raw is better anyway.
Well that sucks, a decent camera is basically half of what a smartphone is. The ARM ecosystem is such trash.
Just rip the band aid off and go for Jolla. Keep your current phone as a backup if some apps break
I’m seriously looking at it now. I don’t give a shit about banking apps or the “socials” so that’s fine. I do want a decent camera though.
I like Fairphone, it’s definitely a phone. But I couldn’t tell a difference between phones anymore.
Maybe an old Xperia? There is official support for unlocking the devices from SONY.
