Sounds like they're rolling back the mandatory verification flow:
Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months.
I'm a little nervous about what this advanced flow is going to look like, given that sideloading already requires jumping through a bunch of hoops to enable and even that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy Google.
I'm cautiously optimistic though. I'm generally okay with nanny features as long as there's a way to turn them off and it sounds like that's what this "advanced flow" does.
> Keeping users safe on Android is our top priority.
I highly doubt this is your "top" priority. Or if it is then you're gotten there by completely ignoring Google account security.
> intercepts the victim's notifications
And who controls these notifications and forces application developers to use a specific service?
> bad actors can spin up new harmful apps instantly.
Like banking applications that use push or SMS for two factor authentication. You seem to approve those without hesitation. I guess their "top" priority is dependent on the situation.
Edit: be sure to read geoffschmidt's reply below /edit
The buried lede:
> a dedicated account type for students and hobbyists. This will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification
So a natural limit on how big a hobby project can get. The example they give, where verification would require scammers to burn an identity to build another app instead of just being able to do a new build whenever an app gets detected as malware, shows that apps with few installs are where the danger is. This measure just doesn't add up
You're right: if the logic is that low-install apps are the most dangerous (because they can fly under the radar), then making it easier for unverified apps to reach a "small" audience doesn't really solve the problem
From the very first announcement of this, Google has hinted that they were doing this under pressure from the governments in a few countries. (I don't remember the URL of the first announcement, but https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-... is from 2025-August-25 and mentions “These requirements go into effect in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand”.) The “Why verification is important” section of this blog post goes into a bit more detail (see also the We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer), but ultimately the point is:
there cannot exist an easy way for a typical non-technical user to install “unverified apps” (whatever that means), because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
Meanwhile this very fact seems fundamentally unacceptable to many, so there will be no end to this discourse IMO.
> there cannot exist an easy way for a typical non-technical user to install “unverified apps” (whatever that means), because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
What, the same way they hold Microsoft responsible for the fact that you can install whatever you want in Windows?
Obviously, there can exist an easy way for a non-technical user to install unverified apps, because there has always been one.
> there cannot exist an easy way for a typical non-technical user to install “unverified apps” (whatever that means), because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
But it is perfectly fine to sell crypto and other complex financial assets to kids and other people that do not know they are from apps in the Play store.
If "safety" takes control from you then it is implemented. If real safety puts profits in danger then it is fight against. Quite a dystopia.
Why can't they just put up a big, red warning: "Never enable software installation if someone asks you to (over the phone or via message). If you're unsure, check out this article on scams."?
> From the very first announcement of this, Google has hinted that they were doing this under pressure from the governments in a few countries. (I don't remember the URL of the first announcement, but https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-... is from 2025-August-25 and mentions “These requirements go into effect in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand”.)
In ye goode olde times, the US would have threatened invasion and that would have been the end of it.
Half /s, because it actually used to be the case that the US government exercised its massive influence (and not just militarily) onto other countries for the benefit of its corporations and/or its citizens... these days, the geopolitical influence of the US has been reduced to shreds and the executive's priorities aren't set by doing what's (being perceived as being) right but by whomever pays the biggest bribes.
Aha - that is a much better explanation than I assumed, aka "the people forced Google to behave". So Google is scared of having to pay fines or having their CEOs end up in jail. I actually think there should be a new rule - easy-jail mode for CEOs globally. Does not have to be long but say, a few days in jail for ignoring the law, and right hold the CEOs responsible for that. You earn a lot of money, so you also gotta take the risk.
This is just lies spread by the very own people that created this system in the first place, if PCs can have apps without "verification" then so can a phone.
> In early discussions about this initiative, we've been encouraged by the supportive initial feedback we've received.
> the Brazilian Federation of Banks (FEBRABAN) sees it as a “significant advancement in protecting users and encouraging accountability.” This support extends to governments as well
> We believe this is how an open system should work
Google isn't "hinting" that they're doing this under pressure, that announcement makes it quite clear that this is Google's initiative which the governments are supportive of because it's another step on a ratcheting mechanism that centralizes power.
> because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible
Your comment is normalizing highly problematic behavior. Can we agree that vague "pressure from the government" shouldn't be how policies and laws are enacted? They should make and enforce laws in a constitutional manner.
If you believe that it's normal for these companies and government officials to make shadow deals that bypass the rule of law, legal procedures, separation of powers and the entire constitutional system of governance that our countries have, then please drop the pretense that you stand for democracy and the rule of law (assuming that you haven't already).
Otherwise we need to be treating it for what it is - a dangerous, corrupt, undemocratic shift in our system of governance.
I'm pretty sure Brazil doesn't have a law saying that Google must forbid sideload. I'm sure that government (be it President, Central Bank etc) doesn't pressure Google about it.
I'm sure some private actors (for example, banks) would love that smartphones are as tight as possible (reason: [0]). Perhaps the same reason applies to Google [1]. But no, "Brazil" isn't demanding that from Google.
[0]: consider that some virus (insecure apps, for example) could somehow steal information from bank apps (even as simple as capture login information). The client might sue the bank and the bank might have to prove that their app is secure and the problem was in the client's smartphone.
[1]: the client, the bank etc might complain to Google that their Android is insecure
Imagine if they tried to hold the entire world to the standards of Russia, China or North Korea. Yet they don't. This is just an excuse from them, or else they would only enable it in those countries. They don't hold the entire world to Chinese standards so why should they hold them to Brazilian standards? The only reasonable answer is: they also like those standards.
> because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
How many virus infections and scams was Microsoft held responsible for? What about Red Hat, or Debian?
And at least let Google plainly state this, instead of inventing legal theories based on vague hints from their press releases, to explain why their self-serving user-hostile actions are actually legally mandatory.
I have to admit I couldn't even understand this problem, because for me the "stock OS" is already unbearable and I'd simply never be able to use it - I've never used it for more than a hour..
In the end when supporting the non tech people in the family, what I would really like is to setup their device so they can install anything on Fdroid but nothing from the play store (unless approved by me) nor direct from an apk.
8 days ago Google and Epic announced a proposed settlement and modification of a permanent injunction that Epic won, I believe this proposed settlement would likely have prohibited Google's plan to forbid installation of third party apps (excluding app stores from the definition of apps) unless those app developers had paid google a registration fee. The proposed settlement is here [1], the relevant portion is
> 13. For a period beginning on the Effective Date through June 30, 2032, Google will [...] and will continue
to permit the direct downloading of apps from developer websites and third-party stores without
any fees being imposed for those downloads unless the downloads originate from linkouts from
apps installed/updated by Google Play (excluding web browsers).
6 days ago the court expressed skepticism as to the proposal and announced that they'd have a hearing, with testimony from expert witnesses, as to whether it would prevent the market harms that the original injunction was trying to cure [2].
Today Google announces this, effectively confirming that they're backing down from their requirement that third party app developers pay google prior to distributing their apps.
Nothing (yet) is explicitly tying these together, but I can't help but suspect that this move is in large part being made to convince the court that they're actually intending to honour this portion of the proposed injunction even though Epic would have little reason to enforce it.
The key question for me is whether this "advanced flow" will allow the practical use of entirely separate app stores (like F-Droid) or if they're going to throw up tons of barriers for every individual app install.
If adb is unrestricted and can work with the Linux command shell (something I seem to remember I had read about before; you will need to enable the developer mode to use it), which is aparently a separate system but runs on the same device, although if it has the ability to communicate with the main Android system using adb (which it might be reasonable to require that to be explicitly enabled with another setting, for additional security in case you do not use adb), then this would help since you do not require another computer that would be compatible with adb in order to do it.
However, I think there are other things they should do as well (in addition to the other things) if they want to improve the safety, such as looking at the apps in Google Play to check that they are not malware (since apparently some are; however, it says they do have some safeguards, so hopefully that would help), and to make the permission system to work better (e.g. to make it clear that it can intercept notificatinos; there are legitimate reasons to do this but it should require an explicit permission setting to make this clear).
"Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months."
So they haven't actually changed anything yet, but they say that they will "in the coming months."
"We have realised that boiling the frog this fast will result in it jumping out of the water. Therefore we have slowed down, but remain steadfastly devoted to seeing this frog boiled"
We really need to banish the term "sideloading". Installing apps on a terminal is just that, and for as long as I remember on windows, Linux it has always been just that.
Google mentions about being on a call, and being tricked into handing over codes. So why not use signals and huristics to decide?
If user is on a call, block any ability to install a shady app. Implement a cool down before that functionality is restored (say 24 hours). It can also detect where the user is based to add additional protection (such as mandating the use of play protect to scan the app before it's activated and add another cool down regardless).
There's lots of ways to help protect the user but it's wrong to ultimately control them. The real world is full of scary dangers that technology is trying to solve but is actively making things worse (such as computerized safety systems in cars).
Ultimately, the user is responsible and whilst it's palpable Google would want to reduce harm in this specific way, we know authoritarian governments would also love to be able to dictate what software people can run. The harm to democracy is simply too great in favor of saving a few people's money.
> Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands.
So there was the very concrete problem that F-Droid could not continue to function with the verification requirements, because they rebuild every app and so would have to know every key.
Glad to see Google come to their senses on this. Disabling it entirely would have basically guaranteed an exodus of power users over to iOS. If your only choices are walled gardens, you might as well pick the easiest, prettiest one.
I worry that the overton window has shifted so much after over a decade and a half of most downloads being mediated by "app stores" that most people don't realize or have the means to vocalize or understand what they're missing.
They didn't say no changes. They are just saying we'll address the concerns of hobbyists and students.
Lets not celebrate prematurely and let us wait for more details on whats actually changing both technically and process wise. We should demand more clarity and should not wait to discover it after the implementation at which point it is hard and nearly impossible to push back against.
We don't want to be in a situation where they technically make it possible but make it practically impossible to install apps outside playstore.
I think you are correct. Clearly, they got spooked, but not enough to make full reversal. I am actually mildly optimistic. It has been a while since I saw a minority ( not that many people are aware of it outside HN circles ) shake a bigger company to a hesitation.
132 comments
[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 93.4 ms ] threadBased on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months.
I'm cautiously optimistic though. I'm generally okay with nanny features as long as there's a way to turn them off and it sounds like that's what this "advanced flow" does.
I highly doubt this is your "top" priority. Or if it is then you're gotten there by completely ignoring Google account security.
> intercepts the victim's notifications
And who controls these notifications and forces application developers to use a specific service?
> bad actors can spin up new harmful apps instantly.
Like banking applications that use push or SMS for two factor authentication. You seem to approve those without hesitation. I guess their "top" priority is dependent on the situation.
The buried lede:
> a dedicated account type for students and hobbyists. This will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification
So a natural limit on how big a hobby project can get. The example they give, where verification would require scammers to burn an identity to build another app instead of just being able to do a new build whenever an app gets detected as malware, shows that apps with few installs are where the danger is. This measure just doesn't add up
there cannot exist an easy way for a typical non-technical user to install “unverified apps” (whatever that means), because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible.
Meanwhile this very fact seems fundamentally unacceptable to many, so there will be no end to this discourse IMO.
What, the same way they hold Microsoft responsible for the fact that you can install whatever you want in Windows?
Obviously, there can exist an easy way for a non-technical user to install unverified apps, because there has always been one.
But it is perfectly fine to sell crypto and other complex financial assets to kids and other people that do not know they are from apps in the Play store.
If "safety" takes control from you then it is implemented. If real safety puts profits in danger then it is fight against. Quite a dystopia.
In ye goode olde times, the US would have threatened invasion and that would have been the end of it.
Half /s, because it actually used to be the case that the US government exercised its massive influence (and not just militarily) onto other countries for the benefit of its corporations and/or its citizens... these days, the geopolitical influence of the US has been reduced to shreds and the executive's priorities aren't set by doing what's (being perceived as being) right but by whomever pays the biggest bribes.
- install remote desktop software
- run commands in the windows terminal
- withdraw cash from the bank
- lie to the bank teller about their purpose
- insert their cash into a bitcoin ATM at a gas station
- ignore warnings about scams which appear on the screen of the ATM
- insert the scammers bitcoin address into the machine
It isn't a stretch to imagine they could convince the victim to install adb and sideload an app.
I beg to differ:
> In early discussions about this initiative, we've been encouraged by the supportive initial feedback we've received.
> the Brazilian Federation of Banks (FEBRABAN) sees it as a “significant advancement in protecting users and encouraging accountability.” This support extends to governments as well
> We believe this is how an open system should work
Google isn't "hinting" that they're doing this under pressure, that announcement makes it quite clear that this is Google's initiative which the governments are supportive of because it's another step on a ratcheting mechanism that centralizes power.
> because the governments of countries where such scams are widespread will hold Google responsible
Your comment is normalizing highly problematic behavior. Can we agree that vague "pressure from the government" shouldn't be how policies and laws are enacted? They should make and enforce laws in a constitutional manner.
If you believe that it's normal for these companies and government officials to make shadow deals that bypass the rule of law, legal procedures, separation of powers and the entire constitutional system of governance that our countries have, then please drop the pretense that you stand for democracy and the rule of law (assuming that you haven't already).
Otherwise we need to be treating it for what it is - a dangerous, corrupt, undemocratic shift in our system of governance.
I'm sure some private actors (for example, banks) would love that smartphones are as tight as possible (reason: [0]). Perhaps the same reason applies to Google [1]. But no, "Brazil" isn't demanding that from Google.
[0]: consider that some virus (insecure apps, for example) could somehow steal information from bank apps (even as simple as capture login information). The client might sue the bank and the bank might have to prove that their app is secure and the problem was in the client's smartphone.
[1]: the client, the bank etc might complain to Google that their Android is insecure
How many virus infections and scams was Microsoft held responsible for? What about Red Hat, or Debian?
And at least let Google plainly state this, instead of inventing legal theories based on vague hints from their press releases, to explain why their self-serving user-hostile actions are actually legally mandatory.
> 13. For a period beginning on the Effective Date through June 30, 2032, Google will [...] and will continue to permit the direct downloading of apps from developer websites and third-party stores without any fees being imposed for those downloads unless the downloads originate from linkouts from apps installed/updated by Google Play (excluding web browsers).
6 days ago the court expressed skepticism as to the proposal and announced that they'd have a hearing, with testimony from expert witnesses, as to whether it would prevent the market harms that the original injunction was trying to cure [2].
Today Google announces this, effectively confirming that they're backing down from their requirement that third party app developers pay google prior to distributing their apps.
Nothing (yet) is explicitly tying these together, but I can't help but suspect that this move is in large part being made to convince the court that they're actually intending to honour this portion of the proposed injunction even though Epic would have little reason to enforce it.
[1] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.36...
[2] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.36...
However, I think there are other things they should do as well (in addition to the other things) if they want to improve the safety, such as looking at the apps in Google Play to check that they are not malware (since apparently some are; however, it says they do have some safeguards, so hopefully that would help), and to make the permission system to work better (e.g. to make it clear that it can intercept notificatinos; there are legitimate reasons to do this but it should require an explicit permission setting to make this clear).
So they haven't actually changed anything yet, but they say that they will "in the coming months."
Google mentions about being on a call, and being tricked into handing over codes. So why not use signals and huristics to decide?
If user is on a call, block any ability to install a shady app. Implement a cool down before that functionality is restored (say 24 hours). It can also detect where the user is based to add additional protection (such as mandating the use of play protect to scan the app before it's activated and add another cool down regardless).
There's lots of ways to help protect the user but it's wrong to ultimately control them. The real world is full of scary dangers that technology is trying to solve but is actively making things worse (such as computerized safety systems in cars).
Ultimately, the user is responsible and whilst it's palpable Google would want to reduce harm in this specific way, we know authoritarian governments would also love to be able to dictate what software people can run. The harm to democracy is simply too great in favor of saving a few people's money.
* "Android Developer Verification Proposed Changes" by agnostic-apollo (https://github.com/agnostic-apollo), Termux app (https://github.com/termux/termux-app) developer: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/459832198 via https://old.reddit.com/r/termux/comments/1ourtxj/android_dev... (old.reddit.com/r/termux/comments/1ourtxj/android_developer_verification_discourse/)
this is a misleading title. they only allow side-loading unverified apps only on fewer devices.
> Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands.
Or am I misreading your comment?
Marketing at work, I am not giving away my ID to publish an app on an alternative app store, like F-Droid.
Google is abusing their "gatekeeper" status, like Apple does.
Do the changes here do anything for F-Droid?
So if I want to release a free android game my options are.
A: Hope Google doesn't change course again.
B: Give Google a copy of my apartment lease,
Would be too hard for them to ya know actually implement sandboxing which would prevent this.
Anything aside from full bootloader access means I'm renting my device.
Too late now though.
I guess that makes me a cybercriminal, doesn't it.
/Old man laughing at "cloud" that is my baremetal.
Lets not celebrate prematurely and let us wait for more details on whats actually changing both technically and process wise. We should demand more clarity and should not wait to discover it after the implementation at which point it is hard and nearly impossible to push back against.
We don't want to be in a situation where they technically make it possible but make it practically impossible to install apps outside playstore.