5 ms·

Google Confirms Non-ADB APK Installs Will Require Developer Registration

58 points by shaicoleman 1y ago

lambdadelirium 1y ago
No need to choose between Apple or Android anymore in 2027!
- Spivak 1y ago
  Right!? Apple has got to be thrilled about this. Android's one philosophically differentiating feature, that you're not bound by The App Store, just gone overnight.
  - bitpush 1y ago
    Isnt it going to be the opposite. Everytime EU says app store needs to be opened, there's a lot of HN commenters say how that's a bad idea and how App Stores help keep "malware" away. I'm assuming a lot of those folks would be thrilled to now be on Android. Unless, ofcourse, they were all fanboys who were just defending their favorite company without any reason.
  - gumby271 1y ago
    But the Android users are the exact people Apple doesn't want. Just look at how the iOS App Store defenders come out whenever someone suggests that iOS should be more open. The response is, without fail, "just go buy an Android if that's what you want". Meanwhile the success that Apple has with those people has lead Google to realize it's a great idea. What will be the response now? "Just go buy a Linux phone"?
  - Neywiny 11mo ago
    I mean, not overnight, it's 2 years from now and it's been long time coming. Play protect getting in the way, permissions to install apps from other apps (honestly a really good idea and should've been there from the start but the key is I can grant it), etc. The whole thing with getting rid of working apps that aren't updated for the sake of being updated. The writing's been on the wall.
- netdevphoenix 1y ago
  I think most people cannot afford Apple devices
dchuk 1y ago
So how will this/will this be in place at all on an android device that is using AOSP without any of the play services?
- netdevphoenix 1y ago
  It wont'. For now. But this is a long game. Google has apparently reduced the amount of contributions to AOSP and it would not be surprising if they went fully closed source in the near future. That would be the end of all roms.
blibble 1y ago
and no doubt with adb installs to come shortly thereafter
wernsey 1y ago
The cynic in me believes Google is doing this to exert more control over the Android ecosystem, and has very little to do with security. I'm also afraid it will make it easier for Google to bend to authoritarian regimes and ban developers whose apps are not government approved. Think it can't happen? Think different: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/apple-bends-to-trump-admin-demand-to-remove-ice-tracking-apps-like-iceblock/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/apple-bends-to-t...
- bitpush 1y ago
  Didnt Apple get away with lot of App Store scrutiny with their current model. Why else wouldnt other app stores follow the practice?
  - gdulli 11mo ago
    A desire to treat their customers like adults. Or to feign that desire temporarily to win the market share of those for whom that's important.
    - bitpush 11mo ago
      To sell food to others, you need to get a "restaurant license". I dont think anyone would argue that people should be able to buy food from whoever. And I dont think that's what "treating people like adults mean". I use food as an example to illustrate the point. I'm aware that food != app, but the point is when you offer goods/services in a modern society at scale, it is reasonable to verify yourself.
      - gdulli 11mo ago
        It's easy for me to judge what software is safe to use and mitigate what risk might exist. It's impossible for me to judge what food is safe to eat and being wrong could kill me. Come on. There's a reason government regulates food and not apps. Government is at least accountable to us, and at the time food safety regulation norms were established, was trustworthy to act in our interest. Google and Apple never were.
ChrisArchitect 1y ago
More discussion on source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45428832 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45428832
jerojero 1y ago
I've been thinking of trying out the iphone for a while now. The reason I wasn't switching is that I install a lot of open source apps on my android device, for all kinds of things. This change seems like it might greatly affect the current developer landscape. I've been looking for alternatives on the iphone to the apps I use and in most cases they do exist. I imagine the same will happen with android. Lots of devs are going to register and so on. However, at that point, what difference will there be between ios and android systems that will meaningfully make me stay in android? I'll try out the iphone and see how I like it. Maybe theres something thats so commonplace right now for me that will become a deal breaker. Sort of doubt it. Big L, as always google just doing what they do best.
- tsycho 1y ago
  On iPhones, you need to pay Apple $99/yr+taxes to do even personal development. Yes, technically they have a free tier, but it supports a max of 3 devices, which you can't change, ever. It's so painful that it might not as well exist. Is Android doing the same? Do you have to pay them money to install your own, or open source apps?
  - Neywiny 11mo ago
    That's what it looks like. You pay $25 and give your ID (yay more exposure from data breaches wooooo) and then you become verified. That lets your apps get installed. But if you're just installing on your own devices (with ADB), such as for development, you're fine. I see no upside to this
- gdulli 11mo ago
  You'd be rewarding Apple for having originated and normalized this loss of rights. And whichever ones they go after next.
  - 12345hn6789 11mo ago
    No. We are rewarding Apple for having well designed hardware and software integration. Something Android (Google) has failed at, but the community has carried in Googles place. Now that Google is turning their backs and slamming the door in the communities face, Android has no real competitive edge over an Apple device.
g0db1t 11mo ago
[dead]
smnthermes 11mo ago
Non-US countries should block Google AdSense to punish Google without affecting users.

58 points by shaicoleman 1y ago

lambdadelirium 1y ago

No need to choose between Apple or Android anymore in 2027!

Spivak 1y ago
Right!? Apple has got to be thrilled about this. Android's one philosophically differentiating feature, that you're not bound by The App Store, just gone overnight.
- bitpush 1y ago
  Isnt it going to be the opposite. Everytime EU says app store needs to be opened, there's a lot of HN commenters say how that's a bad idea and how App Stores help keep "malware" away. I'm assuming a lot of those folks would be thrilled to now be on Android. Unless, ofcourse, they were all fanboys who were just defending their favorite company without any reason.
- gumby271 1y ago
  But the Android users are the exact people Apple doesn't want. Just look at how the iOS App Store defenders come out whenever someone suggests that iOS should be more open. The response is, without fail, "just go buy an Android if that's what you want". Meanwhile the success that Apple has with those people has lead Google to realize it's a great idea. What will be the response now? "Just go buy a Linux phone"?
- Neywiny 11mo ago
  I mean, not overnight, it's 2 years from now and it's been long time coming. Play protect getting in the way, permissions to install apps from other apps (honestly a really good idea and should've been there from the start but the key is I can grant it), etc. The whole thing with getting rid of working apps that aren't updated for the sake of being updated. The writing's been on the wall.
netdevphoenix 1y ago
I think most people cannot afford Apple devices

dchuk 1y ago

So how will this/will this be in place at all on an android device that is using AOSP without any of the play services?

netdevphoenix 1y ago
It wont'. For now. But this is a long game. Google has apparently reduced the amount of contributions to AOSP and it would not be surprising if they went fully closed source in the near future. That would be the end of all roms.

blibble 1y ago

and no doubt with adb installs to come shortly thereafter

wernsey 1y ago

The cynic in me believes Google is doing this to exert more control over the Android ecosystem, and has very little to do with security. I'm also afraid it will make it easier for Google to bend to authoritarian regimes and ban developers whose apps are not government approved. Think it can't happen? Think different: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/apple-bends-to-trump-admin-demand-to-remove-ice-tracking-apps-like-iceblock/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/apple-bends-to-t...

bitpush 1y ago
Didnt Apple get away with lot of App Store scrutiny with their current model. Why else wouldnt other app stores follow the practice?
- gdulli 11mo ago
  A desire to treat their customers like adults. Or to feign that desire temporarily to win the market share of those for whom that's important.
  - bitpush 11mo ago
    To sell food to others, you need to get a "restaurant license". I dont think anyone would argue that people should be able to buy food from whoever. And I dont think that's what "treating people like adults mean". I use food as an example to illustrate the point. I'm aware that food != app, but the point is when you offer goods/services in a modern society at scale, it is reasonable to verify yourself.
    - gdulli 11mo ago
      It's easy for me to judge what software is safe to use and mitigate what risk might exist. It's impossible for me to judge what food is safe to eat and being wrong could kill me. Come on. There's a reason government regulates food and not apps. Government is at least accountable to us, and at the time food safety regulation norms were established, was trustworthy to act in our interest. Google and Apple never were.

ChrisArchitect 1y ago

More discussion on source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45428832 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45428832

jerojero 1y ago

I've been thinking of trying out the iphone for a while now. The reason I wasn't switching is that I install a lot of open source apps on my android device, for all kinds of things. This change seems like it might greatly affect the current developer landscape. I've been looking for alternatives on the iphone to the apps I use and in most cases they do exist. I imagine the same will happen with android. Lots of devs are going to register and so on. However, at that point, what difference will there be between ios and android systems that will meaningfully make me stay in android? I'll try out the iphone and see how I like it. Maybe theres something thats so commonplace right now for me that will become a deal breaker. Sort of doubt it. Big L, as always google just doing what they do best.

tsycho 1y ago
On iPhones, you need to pay Apple $99/yr+taxes to do even personal development. Yes, technically they have a free tier, but it supports a max of 3 devices, which you can't change, ever. It's so painful that it might not as well exist. Is Android doing the same? Do you have to pay them money to install your own, or open source apps?
- Neywiny 11mo ago
  That's what it looks like. You pay $25 and give your ID (yay more exposure from data breaches wooooo) and then you become verified. That lets your apps get installed. But if you're just installing on your own devices (with ADB), such as for development, you're fine. I see no upside to this
gdulli 11mo ago
You'd be rewarding Apple for having originated and normalized this loss of rights. And whichever ones they go after next.
- 12345hn6789 11mo ago
  No. We are rewarding Apple for having well designed hardware and software integration. Something Android (Google) has failed at, but the community has carried in Googles place. Now that Google is turning their backs and slamming the door in the communities face, Android has no real competitive edge over an Apple device.

g0db1t 11mo ago

[dead]

smnthermes 11mo ago

Non-US countries should block Google AdSense to punish Google without affecting users.