453
submitted 3 days ago by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to c/android@lemdro.id

The future of this elegant and proven system was put in jeopardy last month, when Google unilaterally decreed that Android developers everywhere in the world are going to be required to register centrally with Google. In addition to demanding payment of a registration fee and agreement to their (non-negotiable and ever-changing) terms and conditions, Google will also require the uploading of personally identifying documents[^regid], including government ID, by the authors of the software, as well as enumerating all the unique “application identifiers” for every app that is to be distributed by the registered developer.

If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open-source app distribution sources as we know them today, and the world will be deprived of the safety and security of the catalog of thousands of apps that can be trusted and verified by any and all. F-Droid’s myriad users5 will be left adrift, with no means to install — or even update their existing installed — applications.

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[-] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 2 days ago

So downstream just removes that code? I don't see the big deal

[-] Eagle0110@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

It doesn't work like that for mainstream manufactures, the way Google does this, as they have declared so far, is making it a contractal obligation to keep this code in order for them to get Google's GMS certificate, which Google requires for authorizing them to integrate Google's suite into their phone's ROM, including Play Store and Google Service Framework, which are all proprietary software which manufacturers are not legally allowed to distribute without Google's authorization. And outside China it doesn't look like most mainstream manufactures dare to sell an Android phone without Google's Play Store, thanks to the wonderful collective of the Android users making fricking brilliant choices with their wallet over the decade, didn't they?

The only way out of this for a government agency to step in it seems because Google really does have the manufacturers cornered here.

[-] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 2 days ago

Why would you run the OS that comes with your hardware, anyway? Any business is going to do a wipe and OS reinstall as a required first step before issue. Phones should be no different.

[-] dabster291@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 days ago

Because the most popular choices for Android phones don't even let you unlock the bootloader, let alone install a different OS (also custom rom support can be a tad spotty at times).

[-] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 2 days ago

Sounds like a lot of people are going to be forced to buy libre phones, then

[-] dabster291@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago

Most people don't even know libre phones exist.

[-] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 2 days ago

So why doesn't this article mention them, rather than claiming doomsday?

[-] dabster291@lemmy.zip 0 points 1 day ago

I doubt even the article writer knew of the existence if libre phones.

[-] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago

It's fdroid. Of course they do.

this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
453 points (100.0% liked)

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