Why the hell does Android even exist anymore?
19 hours ago
- #Sideloading
- #Android
- Google is implementing new restrictions on sideloading apps starting in 2026, requiring developers to submit government IDs and register package names.
- The article argues that these changes are about control rather than user safety, eliminating the freedom that Android once offered.
- Android's original appeal was its openness compared to iOS, allowing sideloading, rooting, and custom ROMs, which is now being removed.
- Google claims these measures are for safety, but the Play Store already has issues with scam apps and malware, undermining their argument.
- The new rules will make it impossible for independent app repositories like F-Droid to operate, targeting open-source and community-driven software.
- Emulator developers will face difficulties as they often avoid using real names due to legal risks, effectively killing many emulators on Android.
- Indie developers and hobbyists will be discouraged by the bureaucratic hurdles, stifling innovation and niche app development.
- Privacy tools like Tor and encrypted messengers will be impacted, as their developers typically avoid attaching real identities to their projects.
- Accessibility tools, which often exist outside the Play Store, will suffer, leaving users with fewer options and inferior default solutions.
- The article concludes that Android has lost its purpose as an open alternative to iOS, and users might as well choose Apple's more polished ecosystem.