Comment by shkkmo

> we cannot “take over” the application identifiers for the open-source apps we distribute, as that would effectively seize exclusive distribution rights to those applications.

Since these are open source apps, couldn't f-droid maintain their own fork of each app with a different application identifier?

It would give Google the ability to shutdown F-Droid at will by baning their account and thus far more power to control what F-Droid publishes and how it operates. However, it seems like anyone could fork an open source app and use their own account and setup their own unique identifier for their fork.

No question this increases Google's power but it doesn't seem like it technically makes it impossible to operate a store like F-Droid.