Comment by greatgib
9 days ago
However, if you prefer not to, we are also introducing a free developer account type that will allow teachers, students, and hobbyists to distribute apps to a limited number of devices without needing to provide a government ID.
So much bullshit, I'm really revolted. They want to pretend that they are nice, it is not locked down. But for real, now you will need to be registered to even only be allowed to have your app installed on maximum "a few" of your relative or friends. On hardware devices owned by consenting adults, without anything related to Google, or touching their servers, still they allow themselves a right to review. Worse than that, you test an app, want some contacts to test? Even if not giving your id, everything will have to be traced to Google HQ. Who are you? Who are your friends? ...
I lobbied everyone for years against Apple devices, switching people to Android to have a little bit more freedom. Now Google Android will be the same shit.
If people working on Google are hanging out around here, please know that your company really sucks now...
> On hardware devices owned by consenting adults, without anything related to Google, or touching their servers, still they allow themselves a right to review
Aren’t the changes only for Google certified Android devices, AKA those that come with the play store?
As said by others, first it will be hard to find smartphones without that, especially if it is a requirement to be android certified and be allowed to have the play store running.
But, the biggest trap that we can easily expect is that a lot of apps like banking apps will use Google API to check that they can only run on devices with the check for signatures. Same as the check for rooted devices.
Which accounts for any Android device normies can be expected to own. What, you think your aunt Louise is going to flash GrapheneOS onto her phone?
Only? This is everything except Huawei.