I'm checking out Graphene OS next week and pretty pumped about it. This Google ratfucking has been just the push I need to get off Android.

And obviously I haven't stopped telling people around me haha

Google can go fuck itself.

Google would much rather go fuck you.

Yeah, I'll switch to absolutely anything that allows open installation of third party apps.

i wonder if it's possible for fdroid or another dev to make a linux/windows/osx app which basically uses an adb connection to automatically upload and install applications

I’ll be honest, tech got us by the balls… and they know it.

I don't imagine that paradigm going away at all anytime soon or ever

Installing the third party stores would be way harder than it is right now if they do that though. No way the devs of e.g. f-droid are getting a verification on an app that bypasses Google's new 'safety measures'

That's only if the apps distributed are unverified. Mind, the EU already requires app stores to document the identities of devs, but there are loopholes for Small enterprises. In 2027, manufacturers need to document the identities of their suppliers. There are still exceptions for non-profit open source projects, but that's not what Google is. Surely, no one here wants Google to avoid regulations by investing in open source.

I think you can already do that with shizuku and dome fdroid clients. It also makes using 3rd party appstores more convenient just in general.

dug my pinephone out of a drawer yesterday and gave it a whirl. still pretty rough unfortunately even after updating postmarket os.

Cool being able to SSH into my phone though

Plain AOSP is already pretty brutal. An alternate OS is practically a non-starter. Phones aren't just web browsers and SMS.

• Tap-to-pay
  • Including transit fares
• Bank apps
• RCS messaging
• MFA and security apps
• Work profiles
• Streaming media that's not 480p

Not to mention that the camera is going to suuuuuuuuck.

Forking or improving AOSP is more viable but none of the more mainstream ROMs want to piss off Google. That's why most LineageOS forums forbid talking about defeating Play Integrity.

It's not about stopping malware; it's about being able to act on malware.

Making a new account with a new phone number and new credit card is a minor barrier to entry.

That said, it's a cool story, but I think they're looking to stop vanced style patching.

The vast majority of malware isn't delivered via play store because of the existing measures and protections they have. Same reason you see very little app-store-based malware on iOS. DISCLAIMER: YES MALWARE EXISTS ON APPLE HARDWARE PLEASE DON'T SHOUT AT ME. Talking specifically about anything installed via first party stores on both platforms.

Their main issue is this: dumb people install apks from spurious website and infect their phones. The least controllable and most pervasive factor here is the intelligence and knowledge of the user which cannot be controlled for by Google. So by eliminating the ability to exploit this entirely, it will eliminate that specific vector.

It's a sledgehammer solution that naturally comes with many downsides like disrupting intelligent and knowledgeable users that just want to hack around with FOSS and such.

Google is relying on It being too expensive for malware creators to have to guide each individual user through adb installation and usage process just to get access to their phone. Most scammers only do that level of interaction to extract actual cash/gift cards from the target.

I am personally and directly affected by their decision in many negative ways, but I'm not so dense as to not understand why they're doing it.

/corpodronespeak

EDIT: bots help Xitter maintain inflated usage figures which justify people's jobs, share prices, etc. Bots are a feature, not a bug.

Corporate needs to have somebody to sue in case of a policy violation. Very especially those debloated apps that float around the web - they need to ensure they have a physical person to pin the blame to in court.

I presume they are implying that the play store review process will catch compromised apps? Not likely considering how many dodgy apps have been found on play store. It's just another controlling act.

Google is doing this to comply with EU regulations supposed to increase security. Now imagine that Google was pushing back against this instead of complying. As per usual, Lemmy would be up in arms against Google for failing to protect people's data and not complying with our laws and culture. You'd be downvoted to oblivion for asked that question and called a corporate bootlicker.

I think these rules come from German legal culture, which traditionally has a strong need to control information exchange and processing.

I haven't used revanced in a while, but Fennic + ubo + sponsor block should get you to basically the same place unless they've added new features since I used it last.

No separate app required.

I suspect this is designed to block revanced entirely. It won't be able to install the apk it compiles or downloads, so apps won't be able to update even if you have it installed via adb to begin with.

Shizuku + Obtainium might still be an option.

That's what it sounds like.

They're doing the same thing Apple has been doing for years, I used to run a self-signing application which ran every week or so by itself.

Workarounds are going to exist plenty, it's just a slap in the face. Especially because the Play Store is filled with malware. Apple's strict rules are horrible for developers, but at least it's not as riddled with malware.

All APKs will require a signed developer certificate.

I doubt they will be signing keys for developers who circumvent Google's services, or that violate their ToS.

They're copying this scheme from Apple in Europe, when it was forced to allow other app stores.

In that case, Apple revoked certificates for apps it didn't like, such as P2P/torrents. Mind you, these were NOT apps that were not hosted on Apple's App Store.