Post AxhOswSa8f2KtyUbMe by globcoco@mamot.fr
(DIR) More posts by globcoco@mamot.fr
(DIR) Post #Axdegagg5IScXCNX0K by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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#Google is making it necessary for #Android app developers to disclose their personal information to Google. This includes legal name, address, email, and phone number.¹Here is the timeline given by Google.²1. October 2025Start as invite-only2. March 2026All developers can disclose their identity to Google3. September 2026"Regional enforcement begins" in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand4. 2027 and beyond"Global enforcement"We will explain more in next posts.(1/3)
(DIR) Post #Axdf4W1B63210ENLLk by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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A "certified Android device" means a normal Android phone. If you haven't flashed a custom ROM or a different operating system like postmarketOS to your phone, you probably have a "certified Android device".So, if you have a normal Android phone, you will not be able to install apps from developers who are not approved by Google. This gives Google power to block developers and apps it does not like.This also applies to apps you might acquire outside Google Play, like from F-Droid.³(2/3)
(DIR) Post #Axdf4akLW3XRfTXTJA by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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Not only this harms your freedom to install any app you want on your own Android phone, but also this is harmful for privacy/anonymity of Android developers who do not wish to give their personal information to Google.Sources:¹ https://www.androidauthority.com/android-developer-verification-requirements-3590911/² https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides³ https://hackaday.com/2025/08/26/google-will-require-developer-verification-even-for-sideloading/(3/3)
(DIR) Post #Axdk4YlDOpEVHNkWn2 by murdoc@autistics.life
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@apps Ah yes, freedom for "safety", a song as old as the hills.So either I get a non-google phone by 2027, or this one becomes just a phone to me.
(DIR) Post #Axdml1Vp5iTiWQvTDE by grob@mstdn.social
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@apps if I understood correctly, also plain apk files will enforce verified developers by only allowing cryptographically signed ones in the OS?
(DIR) Post #AxdoUsurU2nz8X4O80 by _aD@hachyderm.io
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@apps Might be worth including this in your thread:https://chaos.social/@grote/115095360358705273
(DIR) Post #AxdoUtcoqby1KrdUe0 by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@_aDThanks shared.
(DIR) Post #AxdrqoBw1v4KiVCXxY by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@grob Yes. This might apply to apk installs too
(DIR) Post #Axds8YMFdavCp2UJl2 by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@murdoc Is it not possible to flash a different Android distribution (custom ROM) to your phone?
(DIR) Post #AxdyXFhwiNC5wcnQiO by christian_freiherr_von_wolff@gts.pebcak.me
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@appsSo, if I'm on #graphenos?@GrapheneOS
(DIR) Post #AxdyXGNQEAN41GCYMa by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@christian_freiherr_von_wolff Then you probably can install apps without Google's restrictions. (assuming your phone isn't a "certified Android device")@GrapheneOS
(DIR) Post #AxeCjuh7YGUbtbLFRo by Kohlrabe@social.tchncs.de
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@apps these are some pretty bad news - once again served by google.At this point i want to thank @iode once again for their great work.
(DIR) Post #AxeDFgqSZwVED2rWVc by dheadshot@mastodon.social
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@appsIs it just for new devices or will this be pushed retroactively to old ones too?
(DIR) Post #AxeUbJh529R7zyNC8u by mciesla@mstdn.social
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@apps @murdoc To be fair, the lists of devices supported by non-Google Android distributions is a tiny subset of all the devices out there. None of the four Android phones I've owned are compatible with any of the other Android distributions. And I'm not keen on spending the money on a flagship phone so that I can have a different Android distribution (and risk bricking it in the process)
(DIR) Post #AxegL0toLKLsWaJvIO by burnoutqueen@todon.nl
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@apps is there any kind of boycott we can do to stop this
(DIR) Post #AxehKx5yaLkAgJXrNo by DanDan420@c.im
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@apps #GrapheneOS is looking more appealing by the day.
(DIR) Post #AxejRvSPH4RpXIUQgS by NoFlexZone@blacktwitter.io
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@apps anyone know how this will affect microG users? Will they be unable to get apps? Asking so I can figure out what ROMs to recommend
(DIR) Post #AxepOSPxNxxqKO4bbM by dangero@vocalounge.cafe
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The reason I purchased an Android phone was because I was tired of Apple telling me what I can and cannot do with my own device. What Google is doing now completely defeats the purpose of sticking with Android. I've mentioned here before that I can't access my downloads folder anymore for "security" reasons. By 2027, Android will officially be more limited than iOS. This needs to be stopped. #Android #SideLoading @apps
(DIR) Post #Axerx7whgu8Esa39rU by contrasocial@mastodon.social
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@apps All these big tech companies racing to see who can enshittify themselves into irrelevance first.
(DIR) Post #Axf1mUmPSBhs3OnudM by eckes@zusammenkunft.net
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@apps that’s suprising, I thought that’s mandatory since always. Didn’t they marketed this as a main feature of the central stores and wasn’t that needed for developer certificates?
(DIR) Post #Axf95QOGhGEFcbU9lQ by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@eckes If you're publishing apps to GooglePlay, you already have to give Google your information, but this new requirement applies also to people who do not publish their apps to Google Play. A develoer who just publish apks to git releases or to an own website, will have to give Google their personal infomation or people with normal Android phones will not be able to install their apps
(DIR) Post #Axf9SX4zzbHL1oUVBA by romion00bie@mastodon.social
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@apps @_aD Any Mobile Linux recommendations beside Android Phones and iPhones?
(DIR) Post #AxfBkUXKO0L6GIQtii by fennek@cyberplace.social
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@apps @murdoc Not in 2027. https://sammyguru.com/breaking-samsung-removes-bootloader-unlocking-with-one-ui-8/
(DIR) Post #AxfFDVkjF96cIIEKum by remco011@mastodon.social
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@apps Requiring developer verification can improve security: less anonymity makes it harder for spammers and scammers to spread malware, increasing trust in Android apps. But Google’s implementation is concerning: it could give them too much control over which apps run on certified devices. Security should never be an excuse to make the Android ecosystem less open or limit user choice.
(DIR) Post #AxfIrrzAIjPWh4v1pA by lodurel@mastodon.social
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@appsIt might be possible, but also out of reach of the typical user.Besides, banking apps require a "certified Android device", which also excludes custom ROMs. Banks pretty much require we own a smartphone to consult our accounts. The new European age verification thing also has a reference implementation that requires Android with Google Services.So we have Google closing their ecosystem on one hand, and apps and regulations forcing us to Google on the other hand @murdoc
(DIR) Post #AxfeaZK0daLssTp8pE by vonxylofon@witter.cz
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@apps The sideloading part sounds super-illegal and monopolistic in the EU. IANAL, though.
(DIR) Post #Axfl2iGFatQ2R5rwoq by FuckOffGoogle@mastodon.social
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@apps Time to make serious work of Linux on mobile , that is the only long term viable solution. All custom ROMs are in the end fully dependant on Google that can always kill these projects as soon as they become relevant or close to mainstream.#LinuxMobile #LinuxOnMobile #Android #Google #FuckOffGoogle #CustomROMs
(DIR) Post #AxfoY17vnjBXmqb2sC by globcoco@mamot.fr
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@apps @christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS How can we get non-certified ones?
(DIR) Post #Axg1ScOrbfAN3PGx6m by edwinek@universeodon.com
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@appsDo you have to submit proof? If not: lie to them.
(DIR) Post #AxgC5yDfPoOHYqRFDs by denkbeteiligung@digitalcourage.social
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@appsWhat about using /e/OS?
(DIR) Post #AxgCxirwhgQTaeuSbQ by benedikt_lauenburg@norden.social
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@apps @grob what about self compiled apps?
(DIR) Post #AxgKyRCefbR4itRqRE by xdej@mamot.fr
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@appsWhat about distributing the sources, asking users to compile and install the app with Android Studio?
(DIR) Post #AxhOspIOm7jQgMfs1I by GrapheneOS@grapheneos.social
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@globcoco @apps @christian_freiherr_von_wolff It's not how it works. If you use GrapheneOS, none of this impacts you.
(DIR) Post #AxhOstHpw9ev3mRThQ by globcoco@mamot.fr
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@GrapheneOS @apps @christian_freiherr_von_wolff Okay...I have another question then.To use graphene os, do we need to have specific phones, like the google pixels ones (which is really weird if that is the case)? Could graphene os be installed on the one I have right now (galaxy s9)?
(DIR) Post #AxhOstoRytkMgvhWXA by GrapheneOS@grapheneos.social
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@globcoco @apps @christian_freiherr_von_wolff You need one of the devices meeting our hardware requirements which are supported by GrapheneOS.Samsung Galaxy devices either do not allow installing another OS or cripple the device's functionality including hardware-based security features if you use one. Galaxy S9 is also end-of-life since a long time ago and lacks driver/firmware security patches along with not having modern security features.See here:https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-support
(DIR) Post #AxhOsuSrYe4aiGbnWa by christian_freiherr_von_wolff@gts.pebcak.me
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@GrapheneOS @globcoco @appsI bought a refurbished Pixel device just to run GrapheneOS. It's worth it.
(DIR) Post #AxhOsvJKPa2ZKz9hIm by globcoco@mamot.fr
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@christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS @apps Ot is weird though to have to buy a google phone when google is the problem...
(DIR) Post #AxhOsw6xR3jtouNKeu by christian_freiherr_von_wolff@gts.pebcak.me
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@globcoco @GrapheneOS @appsWhy? You're literally just buying it for the hardware. It's no different in principle than buying a computer that came with either Windows or MacOS already installed and then installing whatever operating system you actually want on it.
(DIR) Post #AxhOswSa8f2KtyUbMe by globcoco@mamot.fr
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@christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS @apps Hold on. Maybe I am wrong but I thought that windows and mac impose conditions on the hardwares...Idk if that is true or not...
(DIR) Post #AxhOsykNdSShzkpqNs by TeflonTrout@beige.party
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@globcoco @christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS @apps Ok, but other android phone makers exist, for example Unihertz, which is my new favorite. Their phones are pretty great
(DIR) Post #AxhOszgW9Ixyu42H0C by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@TeflonTrout But, Unihertz phones doesn't seem to have much support for custom ROMs?@globcoco @christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS
(DIR) Post #AxhQ9MbumNPwasFhvU by TeflonTrout@beige.party
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@apps @globcoco @christian_freiherr_von_wolff @GrapheneOS That is your area of expertise; until you said that I was under the impression it was akin to installing a new OS on a PC with some extra hurdles. Sorry if that's not a good brand suggestion, and thank you for the time replying
(DIR) Post #AxhQd8WlhiA5bU2fC4 by apps@toot.fedilab.app
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@globcoco Usually with a computer/laptop that came with Windows, you can install a different OS (E.g.: Linux, BSD) on it without much trouble.Lot of Androd phone manufacturers make it difficult for people to change the operating system of their phones. Surprisingly, it's easier with Google's Pixel phones than lot of other brands.@christian_freiherr_von_wolff
(DIR) Post #Axhf0pe4xQOBLledZQ by globcoco@mamot.fr
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@apps @christian_freiherr_von_wolff Good to know...👍
(DIR) Post #AxlQQNap9niRCChC4m by TuutW@mastodon.nl
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@apps It is about time to kick Googles Ass. #googleasshole
(DIR) Post #AxnAuXLwDyz1Cd0k2S by stargazer@woof.tech
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@appsWell... shit.Then again, I picked a phone precisely because there was a privacy-friendly Android version for it.This may be the last straw to actually install it.