‘Your phone is about to stop being yours': anger brewing among Android fans as major Google app change draws near

A site called 'Keep Android Open' is counting down the days until Google will require app developers to verify themselvesThe site argues that, when this happens, your phone will stop being yoursThere's also growing discontent about the upcoming change on Reddit

We’ve known for a while that Google plans to make app developers verify themselves by handing over their ID, even when listing apps on third-party stores, but the anger at this upcoming change just keeps growing.

Now, there’s even a site called Keep Android Open, with a countdown to when the change will be enacted (currently 125 days), and an explanation of their issues with it.

The site argues that “your phone is about to stop being yours”, as Google will be able to block you from installing apps that don’t come from verified developers. Google claims that this is to reduce the risk of people downloading malicious apps, and it probably will reduce that risk, but it comes with some clear downsides too.

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Since developers need to submit their government-issued identification, pay a fee, and agree to Google’s terms and conditions, it’s going to put some would-be developers off, and this also makes it easier for governments to have apps they disapprove of removed, since this requirement applies even for third-party app stores.

The site also argues that this is a betrayal of Android phone owners, since Google is retroactively locking down devices that were sold as open platforms.

An overly complex workaround

Now, there is supposedly going to be a way to still install unverified apps, but it’s a nine-step process that requires a 24-hour wait in the middle, and many Android users won’t even be aware of it. Plus, as Keep Android Open points out, the process of doing this runs entirely through Google Play Services, which means Google could change or remove this workaround at any time, with no operating system updates required.

Many Android owners over on Reddit seem similarly unhappy, saying things like “time for Linux phones”, “so the open ecosystem was just a phase”, and "yet another unnecessary requirement”. So, it’s fair to say this isn’t a popular change.

Sadly, there’s no sign that Google will change course, so as things stand, this change will happen in September. And unfortunately, it’s not easy to even vote with your wallet, since the main alternative to Android is iOS, which has always been very locked down by comparison.