Google announced the killing of freedom of Android apps

[neuro]

Google announced the killing of freedom of Android apps.
You will be unable to sideload apps into Android devices without the permission from Google.
Google will censor and ban any developer and any app which Google dislikes.
Just like in the Apple’s ecosystem.

https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html
A new layer of security for certified Android devices
25 August 2025

https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/assets/pdfs/introducing-the-android-developer-console.pdf
Introducing the Android Developer Console: A first look
August 2025

[LemonParty]

Welcome to Gulag.

[af0815]

Welcome to Gulag.

Nope, the Phones are more and more ID - Devices. You must make Banktransaction with it, can only Login in Govermentsites with a Phone (in Austria = ID Austria) and more. The Phone is like personal securitykey.

And the bad guys want you ID, Your Money and your data. Apple and Google must react on this, and actual the easiest way to install bad software (maleware) is to sideload it.  This is not a gulag, this is the actual real world transforming to closed and controlled loops.
The great trouble is, a enemy can sit anywhere on the whole world and attack you. In the past you use 2FA in hardware - your bankcard and a (simple) key, known (hopeful) only by you. This hardware to get the world safe is gone, all in one device. So this device must be safe. 

[Thaddy]

I do not think that is a bad idea, having worked with the Apple restrictions for years.
Side loading during development or small scale deployment will still be possible.

This is not about commerce, but about integrity.

Yes, some freedoms are taken away, but to the good of the platform.

Anything else is moaning.

There is no commercial interest in these new restrictions.
Anyone who thinks so is distributing false news, oh well, to quote the Donald: fake news (in this case, though, it is really fake) and probably do not understand the context anyway.(Like the Donald)
Plz???
The changes are for the good of the end-user.

[Joanna]

There is no guarantee that any app on a phone is safe even if it’s approved unless the makers of cell phones have legal liability for the applications on their phones which i seriously doubt.

[Khrys]

And the bad guys want you ID, Your Money and your data. Apple and Google must react on this

Do you really think this is about protecting the consumer? Apple (and even more so Google) want you locked into their ecosystems so they can more effectively make money off you, and that's it.
Google wants to prevent you from installing a web browser capable of blocking ads amid their recent crackdown on ad blockers in Chrome. Projects like ReVanced (can be used to e.g. patch the YouTube app to block ads) will also be adversely affected by this, and FOSS app stores like F-Droid will cease to exist.

Ultimately it's the consumer's responsibility to not install shady stuff on their devices. There already exist antiviruses to help tech-illiterate people with that - no need to lock down the system for everyone else too at the vendor level.

The changes are for the good of the end-user.

The changes mean that I, the end user, cannot use the device I own (and that I bought with my own money) the way I want to. If you can't see how that's problematic, then I'm afraid I can't help you.

Anything else is moaning.

Yes, people tend to do that when they are being locked up.

[paweld]

I agree with @Khrys, this is not about security. Especially since even the official Google Play store contains apps with malware: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/malicious-android-apps-on-google-play-downloaded-42-million-times/

[CM630]

Has Google ever made something just because of the user?
What is their commercial benefit from my security?
They benefit from Google Play, not from F-droid and NewPipe.
But I doubt this is legally possible, considering https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_v._Google:

...The court ordered Google to allow alternate app stores on the Android system...

[PascalDragon]

Yes, some freedoms are taken away, but to the good of the platform.

Anything else is moaning.

There is no commercial interest in these new restrictions.
Anyone who thinks so is distributing false news, oh well, to quote the Donald: fake news (in this case, though, it is really fake) and probably do not understand the context anyway.(Like the Donald)
Plz???
The changes are for the good of the end-user.

But not for the good of those that don't want to deal with Google (at least aside from Android being from Google), because if you want to sideload an app on a device where the Google services are installed (considering that e.g. some government apps require them that's more or less a given) then the developer of the app needs to be registered with Google or you can't install the app. I want to be the one to decide which app to install, not Google.