Comment by geokon
15 days ago
I still don't understand a lot of the specifics of the signing. So they're going to force through this change with a Google Play Services update? This will affect even old devices - like ones running some kiosk app?
How does this work with Chinese ROMs - that don't come with Google Play Services? How do it affect secondary app stores? A developer releases their app on Vivo's app store - and he has to register with Google's ID procedure?
If you're running some old Android version and you block Google Play Services from updating, will the Play Services stop working entirely and brick the kiosk phone/tablet?
If this was a change required in the next version of Android, then I could kind of understand. You buy a new phone and this is the Faustian bargain you choose to accept. Google's search ad cash cow is dieing. Time to milk all their assets. Google obviously doesn't want people making money off of their Android work - to me this was inevitable. But the fact they're forcing this down the throats of existing users.. this seems messed up and maybe illegal?
This likely won’t affect Chinese or open source Android distribution. It will affect Android as distributed by Google’s partners.
People using LineageOS, Calyx or alike will be unaffected. The other 90% of western android users will be affected.
LineageOS and company aren't Certified Android Devices. However, I think for instance a Vivo OriginOS device is. They will have a separate Play Service for Chinese-bound devices?
Where are you getting your information btw?
It's been added to the last Android 16 build (https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/09/android-16...).
No idea if they'll also decide to enforce it with the Play Services at some point.
good catch. interesting. if they kept it to android 16 then i could live with android 15 for quite a while.