Google going to kill apps outside Google Play

Privacy and Security News
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https://www.androidpolice.com/google-non-play-store-app-dev-verification/

Google will require identity verification for developers who distribute Android apps outside the Play Store.

Key points:

  • Starting with early access in Oct 2025, full developer access March 2026, and regional enforcement Sept 2026 (Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand); global rollout planned from 2027.

  • Developers must verify legal name, address, email, phone — organizations also provide website and D‑U‑N‑S number; government ID may be required.

  • Google will provide a new Android Developer Console for verification; hobbyist/student devs get a separate, lighter account type.

  • Only apps from verified developers will be installable on Google‑certified Android devices (sideloading and third‑party stores remain possible but require the developer to be verified).

  • Goal: reduce malware, fraud, and repeat offenders by removing anonymity; Google says Play verification since 2023 cut malicious apps significantly.

  • Google won’t review app content via this process; it’s an identity/accountability measure alongside existing protections (e.g., Play Protect).

  • Timeline and details may change during early access and testing.

Summarized by ChatGPT 5

Well. It seems Android turning into walled garden. No more F-Droid and only proprietary crap? Because without sideloading we won’t be able to build from source

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@moderators please fix link to clickable. This stupid automated protections prevented me to post it normally :enraged_face:

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That’s terrible news. It means no one can develop and distribute an Android app without revealing their real name.

Why is Google doing this? It’s a terrible company that’s killing all the custom ROMs and open source apps. It’s a real shame.

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I think that it will still be possible to install apps that are not verified via adb or some other methods. Also android forks shouldn’t be affected at all, because they don’t use the Google Mobile Services.

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I just deleted system update app via Canta (shizuku powered debloater). Better not to receive updates than crappy walled garden with proprietary crap.

P.S: If this won’t work in long term, I am going to ditch smartphones and move to something on native Linux.

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SomeOrdinaryGamers posted a video about this:

Related thread on the GrapheneOS forum:

For me, it seems too early to know what’s gonna happen and who’s gonna be affected and how. Non-certified OSes (like GrapheneOS) may be unaffected with regard to third-party apps being blocked. However, this does seem like a serious invasion of privacy for Android developers.

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The only thing Google will accomplish with this is encouraging more people to have degoogled phones. The sideload app verification is going to happen on device. I can’t see any custom rom developer keeping this junk in their OS.

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For everyone that says that custom ROMs aren’t affected and people’ll just switch to them, I remind you that the EU recently banned phones with unlockable bootloader from being sold in the EU. That concerns all Android phones, because manufacturers can’t totally control where any particular phone is gonna be sold. And it also likely means that all phones in the world will be getting released without unlockable bootloader and thus without an option to flash a custom ROM.

So now think again how you’re gonna bypass that. This is times more serious than Google makes it look.

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I have modded apps on both my Android phone and Android TV Box. This is unacceptable. It needs to be challenged in court!

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iirc these are fake news, debunked by GrapheneOS btw:

https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/1953065141878010126

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They haven’t banned unlockable bootloaders but they are beginning to require Google Play Integrity for age verification which in effect excludes custom Android distributions from basic functionality in the EU.

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God dammit! Well, the accusations are off the EU for now and the situation is not that dire, but manufacturers do keep locking bootloaders regardless for whatever reason, if not for this one, and it’s not getting better. And we don’t know if they’ll stop.

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If this will continue to go on well… We (or me at least) will have to ditch smartphones (or move to Linux only ones).

Look, if bootloader not being able to unlock, there is no way to even get root (for me no root = brick). Phone without custom ROM (or at least ROOT to remove proprietary CRAP) is equal brick.

So I see following solutions:

Purge (with root or adb) OTA update app
It can (and probably will) cause you be more vulnerable because you won’t get fixes. So use this method only as temporary one or as last resort.

Buy another vendor
Once again. Temporary solution. As they can let walled too.

Move to dumbphone and Android emulator on Linux
For now the easiest solution. Bank or android only apps should (no guarantee) work properly on emulator. With Wayland and few hours you can even spoof imei for apps and they will (probably) not be able to detect VM.

Buy X86 device with full UEFI support
It is second more easy way. But much more expensive + there is almost all X86 devices is PC or tablets.

Try to buy Linux only phone
Looks good but: not all countries available for delivery (pain in ass), no guarantee service centers (like your Samsung or Apple stores each 500m). This will give you all you need and want. + Android emulator

Tin foil hat mode
Ditch smartphones, IOT and all this smart trackers etc entirely. Ditch even dumb phone. Buy modem that supports full AT interaction (4/5G, SMS, Calls etc) and make sure it supports AT+EGMR=1,7,"XXXXXXXXXXXXXX" (allows you to change IMEI, do not use frequently, only when changing SIM or better only if you are changing ISP or traveling between countries). I love this one: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-m2/
Use it connected to your PC and make calls via it.

Ultra-mega-freak mode
Why? Because maybe someone will want to try?
Idea to use something like steamdeck with Linux flashed. It will add portability. But if you are doing so, better buy tablet with FULL (it is important becausethis will prevent manufacturer to make it walled remotely!) UEFI support.

Update: just searched good ones.

Here is what I found (all listed here supports NATIVE linux without something like bootloaders, flashing via PC or hard bricks):

  • PinePhone Pro (boots OS images from microSD; full touchscreen phone hardware supported by Linux phone distros (postmarketOS, Mobian, Manjaro ARM builds). No bootloader unlock required. Sold new via PINE64). Headache to buy in some regions, but most perfect solution without caveats.
  • PineTab 2 / PineTab. Same as above.
  • PinePhone (all later community revisions sold new).
  • Purism Librem 5 (and Librem 5 USA) — designed to run PureOS (Linux) natively; supports SD/USB recovery images and can install/boot alternative Linux distributions without vendor-locked bootloader. Touchscreen-capable phone. Sold new via Purism.
  • Librem 11. Same as above.
  • Volla Phone (current models sold new in 2025) — Volla focuses on alternative OS options (Volla OS, Ubuntu Touch, others) and some models support booting from recovery/SD images without forced bootloader unlocking — support varies by model. Double check if you will be okay with it.
  • Fairphone. Still needs fasboot flash (pain in ass) but no locking into locked and walled garden.
  • Xiaomi Mi Pad (selected older models reissued or community-supported new units). community ports (e.g., Ubuntu Touch, postmarketOS) exist for certain models. Untrustworthy, as vendor not really “open” for modifications.
  • Microsoft Surface Pro (Surface Pro 9 / 10). Full X86. Native UEFI, full desktop x86 hardware. Linux support. Can boot/install from USB without unlocking. Personally I don’t trust Microsoft. But as option it should be listed.
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X12 / ThinkPad L13 Standard UEFI / Lenovo Yoga Tab / IdeaPad Duet. Have UEFI, some people complained about capabilities.
  • Chuwi / Teclast / Alldocube (Chinese OEMs) — Typically ship with UEFI and allow USB boot.
  • HP Elite x2 / Spectre x360 - UEFI support.