Your phone is about to stop being yours.

84 days until lockdown

Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.

Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.

What Google is doing

In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting September 2026, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.

Registration requires:

If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.

Who this hurts

You

You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.

Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.

Independent developers

A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. After September 2026, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.

F-Droid, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android".

Governments & civil society

Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.

The EFF calls app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:

  1. Delve into System Settings, find Developer Options
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. Enter your PIN
  5. Restart the device
  6. Wait 24 hours
  7. Come back, dismiss more scare screens
  8. Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
  9. Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"

Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. And as of today, it hasn't shipped in any beta, preview, or canary build. It exists only as a blog post and some mockups.

This is bigger than Android

If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.

The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run. In software, this is called a "rug pull"; but at least you could always install competing software. In hardware, it is a fait accompli that strips you of your agency and renders you powerless to the whims of a single unaccountable gatekeeper and convicted monopolist.

Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now revoking that promise unilaterally, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance and regulatory capture to get away with it.

Ars Technica: "Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy."

But wait, isn't this...

"...just about security?"

The security rationale is a smokescreen. Google Play Protect already scans for malware independent of developer identity. Requiring a government ID doesn't make code safer. It makes developers identifiable and controllable. Malware authors can register. Indie developers and dissidents often can't. The EFF is blunt: identity-based gatekeeping is a censorship tool, not a security one.

"...still sideloading if you use the advanced flow?"

Nine steps, 24-hour wait, buried in Developer Options, delivered through a proprietary service that Google can revoke whenever they want. That's not sideloading. That's a deterrence mechanism built to ensure almost nobody completes it. And since it runs through Play Services rather than the OS, Google can tighten or kill it silently.

"...only a problem if you have something to hide?"

Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists under authoritarian governments will be the first victims. People in domestic abuse situations are next. All these groups have legitimate reasons to distribute or use software without putting their legal identity in a Google database. Anonymous open-source contribution is a tradition older than Google itself. This policy ends it on Android.

"...the same thing Apple does?"

Apple has been a walled garden from day one. People chose Android because it was different. "Apple does it too" is a race to the bottom and a weak tu quoque argument. And under regulatory pressure (the EU's Digital Markets Act), even Apple is being forced to open up. Google is moving in the opposite direction: attempting to further entrench its gatekeeping status.

"...just $25 and some paperwork?"

Maybe, if you're a developer in the US with a credit card and a driver's license. Try being a student in sub-Saharan Africa, or a dissident in Myanmar, or a volunteer maintaining a community health app. The cost isn't only financial: you're surrendering government ID and evidence of your signing keys to a company that routinely complies with government demands to remove apps and expose developers.

Fight back

Everyone

  • Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.
  • Contact your regulators. Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies and the centralization of power in the tech sector, and want to hear directly from individuals who are affected and concerned.
  • Share this page. Link to keepandroidopen.org everywhere.
  • Push back on astroturfers. The "well, actually..." crowd is out in force. Don't let them set the narrative.
  • Sign the change.org petition and join the over 100,000 signatories who have made their voices heard.
  • Read and share our open letter
  • Tell Google what you think of this through their own developer verification survey (for all the good that will do).

Developers

Do not sign up. Don't join the program by signing up for the Android Developer Console and agreeing to their irrevocable Terms and Conditions. Don't verify your identity. Don't play ball.

Google's plan only works if developers comply. Don't.

Google employees

If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work machine and a non-Gmail account. Strict confidence guaranteed.

All those opposed…

71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter

ARTICLE 19 article19.org F-Droid f-droid.org The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org The Guardian Project guardianproject.info Proton AG proton.me Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org Fedimedia fedimedia.it /e/ Foundation e.foundation Data Rights datarights.ngo The Calyx Institute calyx.org KDE e.V. kde.org VideoLAN videolan.org Nextcloud nextcloud.com The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) osmfoundation.org La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org Molly molly.im FOSDEM fosdem.org Tuta Mail tuta.com Codeberg e.V. codeberg.org CryptPad cryptpad.org Open Web Advocacy open-web-advocacy.org Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw Unified Push unifiedpush.org Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org Cryptee crypt.ee Osservatorio Nessuno OdV osservatorionessuno.org Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org Italian Linux Society ils.org Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com FACiL facil.qc.ca XMPP Standards Foundation xmpp.org LineageOS lineageos.org The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk Brave brave.com The App Fair Project appfair.org microG microg.org FULU Foundation fulu.org AdGuard adguard.com JMP.chat jmp.chat GrapheneOS Foundation grapheneos.org Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org Obtainium obtainium.imranr.dev The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co Aurora Store auroraoss.com April april.org Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be Privacy Guides privacyguides.org MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org FUTO futo.org Rocky Linux rockylinux.org iodé iode.tech OpenMedia openmedia.org GitHub Store github-store.org GNOME Foundation gnome.org OW2 ow2.org GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org IzzyOnDroid izzyondroid.org Ghostery ghostery.com The Tor Project torproject.org Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu Fastmail fastmail.com Techlore techlore.tech

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

What they're saying

Tech press

"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"

Datamation

"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"

Android Headlines

"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"

Gizmochina

"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"

Benzinga

"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"

TechRepublic

"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"

The Verge

"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"

Ars Technica

"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."

Hackaday

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"

The Register

"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"

Techdirt

"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"

MakeUseOf

"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"

How-To Geek

"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"

Open Source For U

"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"

SlashGear

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"

9to5Google

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"

Slashdot

"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"

XDA Developers

"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"

TechSpot

"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"

heise online

"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"

The Register

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"

Infosecurity Magazine

"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."

Android Police

"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"

Cybernews

"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"

Tuta Blog

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."

I-Programmer

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"

Bleeping Computer

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"

TechCrunch

"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"

How-To Geek

"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"

Ars Technica

"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"

It's FOSS News

"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"

Techzine EU

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"

The Register

"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"

Reclaim The Net

Editorials & analysis

Organizations & open letters

"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."

AdGuard

"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."

Brave

"This invasion of privacy of developers is not just an overreach of Google's authority over Android, but also jeopardizes developer safety."

Software Freedom Conservancy

"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."

F-Droid

"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."

AdGuard

"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."

AdGuard

"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."

Tuta

"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"

Tech-ish Kenya

"A centralized global registration system for Android will inevitably chill this work. Those communities are likely to drop out of developing for Android altogether."

Electronic Frontier Foundation

"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."

Tuta

"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."

European Parliament

"If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open source app distribution sources as we know them today."

F-Droid

"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."

Electronic Frontier Foundation

"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."

European Pirate Party

"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."

Osservatorio Nessuno

"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."

Tuta

"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."

F-Droid

"Developers who choose not to use Google's services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google."

Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations

"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."

F-Droid

"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."

Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations

"This is a profound change, one that shatters the entire premise of the Android ecosystem, long regarded as the antithesis of the closed Apple ecosystem."

AdGuard

"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."

Free Software Foundation

"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."

F-Droid Open Letter

"When you set up a gate, you invite authorities to use it to block things they don't like. And when you build a database, you invite governments to try to get access."

Electronic Frontier Foundation

"Changes would impose barriers to entry for individual developers, small teams and volunteer projects by imposing fees, identity checks and terms that may not align with the principles of an open ecosystem."

Infosecurity Magazine

"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."

Nextcloud

"Google will cut off independent developers to Android if they do not register with Google first. This will kill independent platforms like F-Droid and severely impede FLOSS devs from creating apps for Android."

KDE

"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android."

Brave

"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."

ACLU

"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."

AdGuard

"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."

Nextcloud

"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."

Brave

YouTubers & creators

"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"Google is setting a requirement that only they can fulfill, forcing developers to go through Google and killing off thousands of apps. Countless users stranded."

Techlore – YouTube

"I'm not using the word 'phone.' I'm using the word 'computer.' This has over 8 GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage. It's a computer. And I'm also not going to be using words like 'sideload.' When you download an exe file onto your Windows computer, you've installed an application. You haven't 'sideloaded' something."

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."

Techlore – YouTube

"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."

Techlore – YouTube

"This represents the last real safe place for free and open-source software in the entire mobile ecosystem. Once it's gone, it's gone. And we're going to spend the next decade trying to claw it back."

Techlore – YouTube

"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."

The Linux Experiment – YouTube

"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."

Techlore – YouTube

"The fact of the matter is, this is my device. I paid a lot of money for it. I should be able to do with it what I want."

Switched to Linux – YouTube

"Follow the money. Google makes money when apps are downloaded from its store. Google has completely forgotten about its earlier company motto: Don't be evil."

Tuta Blog – Blog

"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."

Tuta Blog – Blog

"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."

fireborn – Blog

"This has obvious problems for non-Google operating systems like iodeOS, LineageOS, or BraxOS. Google Android will 'check in' with Google to verify the identity of the app and to validate the operating system."

Rob Braxman Tech – Locals

"That's not openness. That is control."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Google isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."

fireborn – Blog

"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"Google is doing to Android what Microsoft once tried to do to the web. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Just wrapped in a shinier open-source package."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Google already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."

Techlore – YouTube

"Android has become what they set out to destroy."

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."

Rob Braxman Tech – Locals

Developers & community

"If the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and others have their way, you will not own your computer; those companies will effectively own your computers."

RUs1729, Slashdot

"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."

lynxy, Tildes

"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."

Apocryphon, Hacker News

"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."

MrZander, Hacker News

"Google's own Play Store had over 600 million malware downloads. They keep talking about 'security' but their own store is crawling with fake apps and straight up malware while actual useful stuff gets buried or rejected."

Historical-Employ129 (324 upvotes), Reddit

"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."

gumby271, Hacker News

"Years ago, I wondered how Google would try to get away with locking down Android and shutting the cage door after capturing such a large dependent user base. Now I see how they are trying to get away with it."

chaznabin, Reddit

"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit."

vord (quoting Cory Doctorow), Tildes

"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market."

pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters

"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."

TheTearMiser, Lemmy

"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."

gcupc, Lobsters

"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

"After 15 years of professional development on Android I too am now thinking about switching my focus to something different. And it sucks."

MrDresden, Hacker News

"If Android's sandbox and permission systems actually worked, then the mere act of installing an app from an arbitrary source would be as harmless as visiting an arbitrary website."

mwcampbell, Lobsters

"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."

Max-P, Lemmy

"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."

Tiraon, Tildes

"There's an entire genre of scamming where the scammers spend months building rapport with their victims before cashing out. One day is nothing."

free_bip (on the 24-hour wait defeating scammers), Hacker News

"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build."

jzb, Lobsters

"Twice I have had to deal with Google silently disabling my drone app to the point I had to buy an older phone to perform work. When I purchase a device that works with another device, under no circumstances should I be at the mercy of any updates they make."

cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit

"My Pixel 6 just broke, and after 15 years of using Android, I've finally been convinced to move to iOS. If I must live in a walled garden, I suppose I'll choose the one with nicer flowers."

yonato, Hacker News

"If I go down this path, I will stop all development on Android. I implore all other developers to resist this. This will completely lock down the platform forever, there will be no going back."

BatteryMountain, Hacker News

"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."

tejtm, Hacker News

"Anyone else thinking this looks like a precursor to banning Signal and similar? 1) Put Google in control of what you can install. 2) Get Google to block it."

harry8, Hacker News

"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."

jwr, Hacker News

"Google selling Android as both open source and open to running any software you like in order to quickly gain market share, only to break those promises after driving competing platforms out of the market is nothing more than fraud."

GeekyBear, Hacker News

"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."

jim201, Hacker News

"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."

survirtual, Hacker News

"Can't come at a worse time. People are just learning to make things through vibe coding, and they're gonna want to put their own apps on their phones. And now Google says no."

Serinus, Lemmy

"I teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."

1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy

"The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. The 'don't be evil' days are very far behind us."

paxys, Hacker News

"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."

hbn, Hacker News

"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."

anordal, Lobsters

"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."

fsniper, Hacker News

"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."

hn92726819, Hacker News

"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."

askonomm, Hacker News

"It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. The promised 'advanced flow' hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 17 betas. Google is quietly proceeding with the original lockdown."

fermigier, Hacker News

"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."

pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters

"This is a war on users that want to keep control of their phones and when it's done, you will not be able to escape the enshittification."

ikidd, Lemmy

"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."

afferi300rina, Hacker News

"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."

gthing, Reddit

"Computing is infrastructure. Personal computers are a means of expressing agency. This is like banning people from moving furniture around their house without approval from mortgage lenders."

wervenyt, Tildes

"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."

layfellow, Hacker News

"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."

vala, Lemmy

"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."

specproc, Hacker News

"I hate this so much. More and more I get the feeling I have no control over the devices I own. My fear is that Windows will eventually follow. For security reasons of course. It's the path we're on now."

cheesyvoetjes, Reddit

"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."

renshijian, Hacker News

"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."

Zak, Lemmy

"Google has no right to be my parent. As long as I can't reject paternalism, I don't believe for a second this is done with the well-being of scam victims as the main priority."

gspr, Lobsters

"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."

Zak, Hacker News

"You are essentially a child to them. The difference is society has decided not to step in to protect you from your abusive parents."

globular-toast, Hacker News

"Requiring a government ID to distribute software. Holy shit. If you are a kid and want to create a game for your friends, you better get that birth certificate ready!"

llitz, Reddit

"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."

nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News

"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."

devsda, Hacker News

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy

"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."

girvo, Hacker News

"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."

koala, Lobsters

Voices from the petition

"I ought to have the right to install any program I'd like on my computer without google acting as gatekeeper. F-droid's Foss nature makes it more trustworthy than the play store has ever been. "

Cris, change.org

"Google, as a US based company, is trying to seize control over who can and who cannot create applications for Android. If you purchase a phone, you should be able to use it however you see fit. But now, if you want to develop a simple app for your daily use or for a small project that doesn't strictly align with Google or the US government's agenda, you could be denied the right to install it and even persecuted or doxxed. "

Ivan, change.org

"This is ridiculous the fact that google is causing this will effect everybody it's gonna make it way harder for developers to post there apps to specific users. "

Daisuke, change.org

"Google, go rethink your choices! what is wrong with companies nowadays?!?! "

am, change.org

"The world needs more freedom, not less. Nobody said you *have* to use a free APK, but we need to keep the option open for anybody who does. "

Evan, change.org

"If I can't install FOSS apps then I will switch to Apple and delete my google account. "

Eli, change.org

"I do not want Google to limit my freedom of speech or right to privacy. Google is a monopoly and must be dismantled. This has to stop. "

Tristan, change.org

"On veut pouvoir faire ce que l'on veut quand l'on veux "

Philippe, change.org

"This change would defeat the core purpose at the heart of what the Android platform is. Remember when Google used to use the slogan "Don't be Evil"? Well this is about as evil as it gets. "

Justin, change.org

"The sooner this is allowed the sooner our country is gone for good. State control over personal devices will have gone too far. "

April, change.org

"Many of the apps I use for managing Type 1 diabetes require sideloading. If the hobbyist plan has any restrictions (which it most likely will), it could impact my personal health. We need full transparency about how this will work, or for this to be cancelled. "

1712, change.org

"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "

Anabel, change.org

"Stop trying to lock down Android, you bozos! "

Rares, change.org

"Being free and open is the number one reason I use Android. If that were to go away, it would reduce its competitiveness with ios "

Vivian, change.org

"Once the promise of running open software on Android is broken I ll simply toss the device into the bin and never look back. "

David, change.org

"This is clearly a descision taken by Sundar Pichai for the financial profit of Google, it has literally nothing to do with security or safety of the users like Google claims, if it were so, there were many other ways to do this. I think people like me will just switch to iPhone at this point, as Google has decided to just kill Android's only major advantage. Such a shame. Android used to be a symbol of freedom and openness. "

Aurelian, change.org

"We should be allowed to do what we want with the tools that we buy. "

kevin, change.org

"Being an open platform has been one of the key defining features of Android. The ability to install and use any apps regardless of their origin is not a privilege, it is a right. By allowing one entity to say what we as users can or can not use our devices for is another link in the chain that binds and restricts all our freedoms. "

Andrew, change.org

"Products should be made to give the consumer control of the product they purchase. They should not be used for the corporation that manufactured the product to control the consumer use of that product or what the consumer has access to. This is a form of controlled speech and is a violation of the first amendment of the United States of America. "

Mitch, change.org

"Google, this accomplish two things: 1/ This will limit privacy respecting apps to those of us who run degoogled OSs. 2/ More people will flash degoogled OSs onto their phones. Do you really want less data coming in to monetize? Your call. "

Scott, change.org

"Please no. This is what makes Android special. But if you do, then fine - it will finally open an opportunity for a 2nd player to enter the market. "

Sam, change.org

"These proposed restrictions by Google are a threat to personal digital autonomy and to app development. "

Daniel, change.org

"It's like Google looked at the Microsoft debacle (hello! Linux!) that's currently going on and said wait..hold my beer... Not as easy to change from Google Android like Windows to Linux but it can be done! Already have proton emails so the ball is rolling! If this goes thru I will definitely find alternatives. And instead of using a mix of Google Play store apps and gmail and FOSS as of now, I'll just stick to FOSS and stick with proton email as the primary and go the way of degoogled or possibly apple. Or even go with a cheap flip phone and just forget about using any apps at all! see your already helping me curb the addiction you created by these smart phones and with the physical media resurgence this could kind of go with the whole theme so to speak. Thanks for the ideas Google! I've gotten into the habit of changing and finding alternatives in the last ten plus years to everything. This would not be any different. Know your place and keep your promises Google. Or to quote a couple of your slogans. "Don't be evil" and "Do the right thing" "

Marvin, change.org

"Android has always stood for freedom, openness, and user choice. Blocking APKs goes against the very spirit of what makes Android great. Users should have the right to install the apps they want, from the sources they trust, not just from one store. Limiting APKs doesn’t make Android safer; it only takes control away from users and developers alike. Keep Android open. Keep Android free.Android has always stood for freedom, openness, and user choice. Blocking APKs goes against the very spirit of what makes Android great. Users should have the right to install the apps they want, from the sources they trust, not just from one store. Limiting APKs doesn’t make Android safer; it only takes control away from users and developers alike. Keep Android open. Keep Android free. "

Pedro, change.org

"My property. My rules. "

Steven, change.org

"Without sideloading in Android, it will be impossible for us to install any app outside the Google Play Store, making traditional unverified sideloading much more difficult on certified devices, and therefore blocking it in 2027. This isn’t about protection here. It was more like the beginning of censorship, and monopolization of android OS. Let make our voices heard "

Jacob, change.org

"It's not sideloading. It's installing an application on a personal computing device I own and payed for... This move is unacceptable. "

Benjamin, change.org

"I've been an Android user since 2.1 on my LG Ally in 2010. In all that time I've used a single iOS device and ran straight back to Android for one major reason: Control. Android offered a level of control over my own device that Apple simply did not. Unfortunately, over the last several years Google has decided it prudent to strip away the "privelage" of using my device how I see fit. With each new update, Android becomes more similar to the locked-down iOS platform that I shied away from. With this detestable update, why would I stick with Android? If Android becomes a less privacy-focused iOS, why would I not simply migrate back to Apple's platform? "

Nathaniel, change.org

"I think it goes without saying that I'll never use a legit android OS ever again if this goes through, literally the only reason Android is better then IOS is BECAUSE of the flexibility and freedom. Just like censoring on the internet makes a country no better then China, Android will be no better then IOS. I'll just go to a third party or install a custom firmware if this shows no signs of slowing down. "

Jesse, change.org

"Google should be ashamed of itself and give users the freedom to install any app they want. Why don't they remove those apps from their store where thousands of people suffer from viruses? Bunch of scoundrels! "

Jorge, change.org

"Dear Google, you are single handedly destroying the whole purpose for which we use Android. Not only will you see a mass exodus from Google devices/services, you will force the creation of alternative operating systems that allow for user privacy and fredom for app developers. You all are making it harder for yourselves and for us. "

Kevin, change.org

"This is not only concerning or invasive. It's unjust, deceitful and abusive. Once you break this trust, they can AND WILL control every aspect of the software chain. Not even casual users will be safe then. "

Jesse, change.org

"this is so dumb, and it makes the whole reason i got an android pointless. i might as well go back to ios but ill probably give pinephone a shot "

Spencer, change.org

"I am sad to see this is the way the world is going. We are slowly giving away our rights and freedom and nearly no one is noticing. Liberty dies when no one is looking "

Jacob, change.org

"I find this measure deeply concerning. When I choose to buy an phone, it is with the expectation of having control over how I use it. A company should not decide how I use my devices. "

Abdoul, change.org

"I am the founder of Yale Privacy Lab, where we have investigated privacy and security issues in Android apps since 2017. I can say without hesitation that this change makes Android users less safe. Android is based upon free and open source software (FOSS) and that has always been defined by user choice. Blocking the capability to install apps directly from trusted sources outside Google Play is not a small tweak. It removes a core freedom. We should not need permission to run software on devices we own. Framing this change as protection does not reflect the reality of the Android ecosystem. Google Play has long allowed unsafe apps, invasive tracker SDKs, and supply chain threats that slip through automated review. Independent audits have consistently revealed these issues inside of Google Play, even *after* Google claims to have scrubbed. For example, the X-mode SDK persisted long after it was banned in the USA by the FTC enforcement action, and was still present in many Google Play apps until Google was called out by my own investigation. Initially, Google responded by saying I was wrong but then acknowledged their error in press. Long after that, other tracker SDKs associated with X-mode and the wider ad-tech surveillance economy have persisted. In many cases, the safer and more privacy-conscious option is to use F-Droid to install apps. F-Droid is just one organization that is much more serious than Google about checking the safety of their catalog of apps. Sometimes, the safest option is installing APKs directly from trusted developers. These methods can avoid ad trackers, surveillance code, and unwanted data sharing. To cut off these options is to put many activists, journalists, whistleblowers, and ordinary users at risk. "

Sean, change.org

"My Grandfather never used a phone. After I lost my grandmother we bought him a smartphone. He couldn't use it so I wrote an app for him which made it simpler for him. With these changes, my grandfather won't be able to use my app unless I give Google my data and Google approves me. Who is Google that it should have the right to position itself between me and my grandfather? And no using adb isn't even an option my computer which I use to code and the phone of my grandfather are separate as they don't belong into the same place. As an user I'm also using open source apps on my device which I paid for. Google has no right to decide what I install on my device which I paid for and what I don't install on my device which I paid for. My device does not belong Google. I don't belong Google. I am not the slave of Google. I bought an Android device because it doesn't treat me like a slave. The developers of these apps don't want to give Google their data and I approve that. I don't need approval from Google. I can decide on my own what I install on my pocket computer. Google can make suggestions, but Google doesn't have the right to decide for me. I'm a free person. "

Yunus, change.org

"To block sideload in all newer Android devices, not only for Pixel phones that Google own, is not going to enhance user's safety. It makes life more difficult for developers and you are taking away one of the only things that made Android better than Apple. If Google really wanted to enhance users' safety, they would verify better apps on their Play Store or implement a better antivirus that could scan apks and check for malware. I bought my phone and my tablet with my hardwork and money, I am not a child to not know what I should or shouldn't install inside my phone. Imagine if I couldn't install a necessary software in my computer or test my code just because Microsoft didn't approve of it? That would be absurd. It is my responsibility to know what I can or cannot install in my device, that is not up to a multi-billion company to decide. By blocking sideload, Google is breaking the trust they had from thousands of developers and millions of users of this OS. "

Bianca, change.org

"Freedom of expression and choice, without filtering. "

Ralph, change.org

"I've always been an avid android user because of its open nature, but since the pandemic google has been clamping down on the freedom provided by the platform. First they added extra steps to install appstores other than the play store. Then they took away the ability to install older applications. Then they blocked you from being able to access the filesystem of your own device. Now they want to close the ecosystem, and make it easy for them to oppress the people who made this OS worthwhile in the first place. Google is heartless, and it's only a matter of time until they closed-source the android project. I will not stand for a corporation that willingly hands over the innocent to this authoritarian regime. Leave android alone! "

Issac, change.org

"I don't think that we should be filtered into buying something we do not want. Something as simply as a weather app should be free, news should be free, but the services that's being offered in app stores as free is usually filled with ads that leak personal information. "

Andre, change.org

"what does google think'll happen when they remove this aspect of android. this is the only distinguishable feature between ios and android "

Mail-main, change.org

"I have contributed to FOSS apps that were published to Google play and F-Droid + similar stores, as well as written multiple apps for myself and family members. Android has long been an open platform that actually gives the user(s) freedom to do what they want with the device they own. However, that free and open model is coming under threat more and more in the name of "security" all while collecting and monetizing our user data. We do not need another walled garden Apple experience. Android users use Android BECAUSE of choice and freedom, not in spite of it. "

Christopher, change.org

"The whole reason Android is popular is because it's open source. By locking away sideloading and forcing developers to verify themselves, what difference is there between this and iOS, which is starting to allow sideloading of apps? "

Ruben, change.org

"Implanting a feature like this would just kill the whole point of why i brought an android device. Might as well switch to apple, cause at least I would have a more cohesive experience. "

Edgar, change.org

"if there is no evolution there must be revolution "

Joshua, change.org

"The only reason I use Android since 2012 is for the freedom it gives over iphones and the ability to install what I want. Fine to give a warning (they already do) but blocking this is unacceptable and against what Android has always stood for. "

Allen, change.org

"I have always used android because of the control I have over MY phone. Installing whatever apps I want from WHEREVER I want is one if the main reasons I prefer android! I will do everything I can to keep this from happening! "

Britanie, change.org

"Google is shifting from openness and freedom toward a closed feudal system. This represents more than just a setback for software platforms; it is a step backward for human civilization. "

John, change.org

"We chose Android because it is OUR device that we have control of. Soon it will be fully controlled by Google. "

Montana, change.org

"Might as well be an iPhone at this point. The whole point of Android was customization, and this kills that. Do better Google. "

William, change.org

"Most of the apps I use are not on the play store! "

Samuel, change.org

"I've relied on a third-party adblocker to disable adverts throughout my entire phone, and pulling this stunt would jeopardise such wishes not to have adverts in literally every single application I use. I do not want the Android OS to become iOS in being unnecessarily strict on sideloading and people's rights to download any apps they want that might not be on the Play Store. Google, you NEED a reality check if you really think being anti-consumer is going to "help" anybody in their lives. "

Finn, change.org

"Using Android has always meant having the freedom to customize your experience to your hearts content, this would be the end of an era. This would also be the end of many small app developers that can't or won't conform to the what one might say 'invasive' requirements to publish an app. You can say goodbye to FOSS and side loading which is a huge part of Android customization. "

sebastian, change.org

"Protect Android FREEDOM... I’ve used Android for years because it stood for freedom and choice. But lately Google has been making it harder to install APK files apps that come from outside the Play Store. That freedom to choose what I put on my own phone is what made Android different, and it’s slowly disappearing. I’m not a developer or hacker just someone who believes that the device I bought should truly belong to me. I should be able to install safe apps from any source without being blocked or discouraged. This isn’t about breaking rules it’s about keeping control over our own technology. If Google keeps tightening these restrictions Android will lose the openness that made it great. I care because user freedom matters and I don’t want to see it taken away bit by bit. "

Boris, change.org

"I use Android over iOS specifically for the ability to install the applications I want in the way I want. If I can't do that, I might as well not use an Android phone. "

Jeremy, change.org

"Google already has too much to say on which apps one is allowed to run on their phone. Play Integrity already ruins the Android experience for most custom ROM users and now they're going for side loading, too. This has to stop. "

Alexander, change.org

"KEEP ANDROID OPEN "

Dennis, change.org

"I've used side loading a number of times in the past to load 3rd party developed apps. Not supporting this will make me seriously reconsider other phones and OS "

Richard, change.org

"Let's all join forces in this fight because freedom cannot be violated "

Fernando, change.org

"Google's monopolistic power over what we can and cannot download/do/say is already too strong. This cannot continue. "

Briar, change.org

"Google is stupid and annoying and I hate them let me do what I want with my phone or imma just use grapheneOS "

David, change.org

"I've always chosen to use Android because I want to have control of how I use my phone. I know installing something might cause problems, but after all it's my decision and my phone too! If I wanted to be "more safe" I'd buy a phone with iOS. Let the users decide how they want to use their phones at their own risk. "

Nicky, change.org

"Locking down android will create incredible friction to open source and 3rd party application stores. Imagine if you could only install PC programs from Microsoft Store. "

Andres, change.org

"If I want to be restricted in where I get my apps from, which ones to install and my phone to look each year the same, I buy a device with an apple on it (never did). It should be your choice which apps you want to install and where to obtain them from - not the device vendors or OS manufacturers. Keep android open! "

Andreas, change.org

"I honestly don't understand why this even has to be petitioned for in the first place. It should be self-evident that it should be entirely up to the user what software should be installed on their own device. "

Patrick, change.org

"We will not be pushed around. Resend the restrictions and let people use their property as they see fit. "

Daniel, change.org

"I'm not even an Android app developer, but I've always wanted to be. Now, I'm not sure that I do. Making this change will mean that all apps will funnel through Google Play, which gives Google exclusive control and a censorship chokehold on the entire Android ecosystem. I shouldn't have to explain why that would not be good. The whole thing that made Android different from iOS is that it was OPEN. Now Google's just throwing that out of the window. At this point, I might just switch to iOS because Android has lost all of its character. "

Ethan, change.org

"I have used android since the begining and the entire reason ive stuck with it (and this has been getting VERY hard lately with all the locking down of android, version by version, more and more like iOS).. this would just be the nail in the coffin for android, for me.. I'd rather daily drive graphene or a very limited linux os than this. Really a shame though when you talk people into using android and all the reasons people choose to switch are being removed. This is something im a single issue voter on, I will cease all google/yt/gemini/etc subscriptions and use the day I can't sideload any app I please.. and this is a complete change for the device, so massive of a change (would have directly affected many of my purchases) that I dont get how they can just do it, literally the stuff that made it special they choose to gut.. "

Joshua, change.org

"I've always said the reason I was an android user and not an iPhone user was due to the fact that the system was not locked down allowing more advanced use cases. Not to mention allowing individuals to create their own apps and learn without being subjected to fees and restrictions. Can't wait for the linux phone sector to start growing in response just like what is happening to Windows / PC market space. "

Chris, change.org

"As a long-time Android user and small-scale app developer, I'm deeply concerned about the recent moves to restrict app sideloading. Choice has always been the core strength of Android—it's what set it apart as an open operating system. Forcing users to become "approved developers" just to build and install personal apps is impractical and unnecessary; I simply don't have the time or interest in jumping through those hoops. This shift feels like the start of broader censorship and monopolization, transforming Android into little more than a reskinned version of iOS. We chose Android for its freedom, not for anti-consumer restrictions that claim to "protect" us but really just limit our options. Existing tools like Knox and Play Integrity are already intrusive enough—now even downloading from trusted alternatives like F-Droid or other third-party stores might face scrutiny? This erodes the open spirit that defined Android from the beginning. Users deserve the right to create, modify, and install apps without sacrificing anonymity or control. It's our responsibility to educate ourselves on risks, not for big tech like Google (or GAFAM) to dictate terms. Android's appeal has always been its flexibility: I've sideloaded niche apps from lone developers for unique tasks, like custom music players and compass tools from F-Droid. I've even installed modded versions of stock apps, such as a camera tweak that added Google Pixel's Photosphere to my device—something impossible without sideloading. There's no need for Android to head in this restrictive direction; it risks becoming a "mock iOS," stripping away the very reasons people like me chose it. Let's restore customization, user freedom, and innovation to the heart of Android. Please, reconsider this path—it's not protection; it's control. "

Mike, change.org

"dont do that man "

Kaktus, change.org

"Someone alert the attorney's on the ongoing case with Epic Games that Google found a way to try and skirt court orders. I'm sure the judge will be extremely pleased to have been ignored, as they make this change and claim it's somehow not the opposite of what they were told to do. "

Nicholas, change.org

"We have the right to choose what apps we want to use or not to use leave it alone "

DENNIS, change.org

"This feels like bait and switch. Android has been the open alternative to iOS and that's a primary reason why I've chosen to support Android over the years. We don't have a viable truly free alternative like on the desktop, but Android is the best we've got. "

Sol, change.org

"I've installed dozens to hundreds of APKs on my phone for years. Whether it's personal projects or open source tools. It's really the only defining difference between Android and iOS. Why is this even being considered by Google? "

Joseph, change.org

"We already can't chose our OS and can't choosing the app is discussing. "

Alihan, change.org

"Google's September 2026 "Developer Verification" mandate is not a security policy. It is a monopoly play wearing security as a costume. Starting September 2026, every Android developer -- including those who have never used the Play Store -- must register with Google, submit government ID, pay fees, and agree to Google's terms just to distribute an APK. In 2027 this goes global. No registration, no distribution. Period. F-Droid is already banned from the Play Store under Google's own Developer Distribution Agreement. Now Google is closing the only door F-Droid had left. Anonymous FOSS contributors cannot and will not hand Google their home addresses. The project dies. Thousands of privacy tools, accessibility apps, whistleblower utilities, and open source projects built by volunteers with no commercial interest go dark with it. The security argument is a fraud. Android already has Play Protect. Google's own Play Store hosted over a billion malicious app downloads in 2025 alone. Identity registration does not stop malware. It stops competition. What this actually does is give Google indirect control over every app on every Android device on earth, regardless of where it was distributed. You must register with Google. You must agree to Google's terms. You must pay Google. Or your software does not exist on Android. That is not an open platform. That is a toll booth on the entire software ecosystem, built by a company that was handed dominance by the very open ecosystem it is now dismantling. Sign this because the phone in your pocket should not require Google's permission to run software you choose to install on hardware you own. "

Mark, change.org

"Oh great and wise corporate overlords, I come to you a mere peon, a cog in your profit machine, to implore you to keep Android open to small or niche developers. If you implement the proposed changes you will have turned a thriving app ecosphere into nothing more than a reskinned iOS. Your commitment to Open Source and the availability of Android-.apk-but-not-via-Google are on the line here. Many of the most compelling use cases for my Android device would cease to exist under the proposed regime. If that happens I might as well switch to iOS devices, at least they are pretty. "

Michael, change.org

"Google detente. "

Angel Gabriel, change.org

"The reason why i use android is because of the freedom but if Google lockdown android then there no point on staying and not switching to other ecosystem "

Joel, change.org

"Android has benefited greatly from being open. It is what sperated Android from iOS. If Android is going to just be iOS, might as well just buy into the Apple ecosystem which is much more robust than Android. "

Chris, change.org

"You will bury yourselves. "

William, change.org

"Dystopian, unaccountable corporate control and rug pulling. "

Ethan, change.org

"As a young developer, you need to stop! What you re doing will prevent anyone below the age of 18 from developing apps for their own purpose and installing on their device, which they payed for, imagine giving a toy to a kid, then putting it into a box that they can't open, that is what you are doing right now. "

Alex, change.org

"I switched from IOS to Android because I value my freedom to choose as a customer. Taking that away is incredibly short-sighted on Google's part. To remove such a huge part of my choice to use my device as I wish, is to remove my reason for going with Android in the first place. Google, if you value your customers, GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT. No one is asking for this. Let customers make their own choice. If people want a locked down ecosystem, they can go to IOS. It has been that way from the beginning. Do not take away the thing that brings people to your ecosystem in the first place. "

Katie, change.org

"We need to stop the "APPLE-FICATION" of our beloved ANDROID. We have supported Android & Google since it's beautiful inception, to stick it to EVIL BIG CORPS. LIKE APPLE. The act of PREVENTING us from installing APK's or other OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, is a direct BETRAYAL of us LOYAL USERS of the ANDROID OS. A YUUGE SLAP in the face with 20+ years worth of power behind it. This act maybe not be coming until 2027.... Regardless, this will affect lots of Devs., Users, and others in the ecosystem that prefer to not use the "Play Store" to obtain their apps, and don't Agree with the way that Apple treats it's customers & doesn't want Android to become a company that continually oversteps it's boundaries, & HAS PUT PROFIT OVER PEOPLE SINCE IT'S INCEPTION. ANDROID started as the O.S. of the people, made by an Alliance of Companies, that know how to treat their customers and constantly listened to Android Users, in regards to features and other things that were requested after every update. This is how we have Arrived @ the current version. After countless features added, bug fixes and years of us buying devices with Androids O.S. '27 might be the last year that MILLIONS OF LOYAL ANDROID users turn their backs on the operating system & move on to other Operating Systems that don't want to treat us like children under the guise of "SAFETY".... PLS MAKE SURE TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND ASK THEM TO SHARE AS WELL! OUR LITERAL DIGITAL FREEDOM & PREVENTING ANDROID FROM BECOMING EVERYTHING THEY WERE AGAINST IN THE BEGINNING IS IN OUR HANDS. WILL THIS PETITION WORK? WHO KNOWS. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THEIR MINDS ON RECLAIMING ALL THE LOST REVENUE FROM FREE APPS, ALT OPERATING SYSTEMS, AND CRACKED APPS/GAMES. Apple has prevented cracked App from the start, that led many ppl to switch to Android after they started bricking JAIL BROKEN iPhones. This might happen with Android as well, nobody wants a bricked Android just because we don't agree with paying between $3 &$9, in order to not get AD's every time that you start a new level on a game, every 3 minutes, every time you open the app, or being restricted from certain functions that only work with the "FULL" Version of the App. PLS ANDROID DON'T TURN INTO APPLE. Remember the motto that you based your whole system on "DON'T BE EVIL"... Leave that to Apple and their sheep users that allow themselves to be controlled by an evil corp. "

Brian, change.org

"Nobody asked for this. It's the users choice to install apks on their OWN device that they paid for. Stop doing this google! "

Alexander, change.org

"Google doesn't care about people or their privacy "

Adrian, change.org

"If android truly blocks what are some of my favorite apps from developers I trust, I will no longer be using "smart" phones without root. It'll be graphine or flip phones, I promise you. "

R, change.org

"Just recently i started learning about how to install f droid to protect myself from g00gle and this is what happens?! death to big tech! "

Noor, change.org

"If I wanted to use a locked garden ecosystem, I'd just buy an iPhone. Keep Android open, Google. It is also for your best commercial interest. "

Oscar, change.org

"I develop apps for personal use and use fdroid for open source and privacy focused apps. This will just be another step towards tyranny and control "

Jackson, change.org

"I don't have much to say other than that this is immensely foolish of Google to do. "

Jaden, change.org

"I use a de-googled phone and F-Droid is my store. This will destroy F-Droid. If I pay for a device I should be able to load what every I like on that device. Google is using it's monopoly powers to force us into a box. I'm a great believer in privacy and freedom and I see it day by day gradually eroded. "

Peter, change.org

"I use open source apps from F Droid in place of stock apps because they require less permissions, use less resources and offer better theming and customization. The whole point of Android was supposed to be that you can do whatever you want on it as apposed to iOS. Sure, not everyone installs custom or third party apps, but why take the option away from people who do? "

Cory, change.org

"We should keep Android open. "

Habsir, change.org

"It's a limiting choice for users and software engineers and it will depreciate Google's platform. "

Jonathan, change.org

"No reason to own a google device if I am limited in what I can do with it. "

Salvatore, change.org

"Open source apps is what makes Android the best over ios "

Billy, change.org

All references, editorials, press coverage, and videos →

Take Action Full resource list, regulator contacts, links for every country, and how to fight back Open Letter Read the open letter signed by organizations opposing developer verification

You bought your phone.
You should decide what runs on it.

That shouldn't require a 9-step process, a 24-hour wait, and Google's ongoing permission.

Share this page. Don't sign up. Don't let them close Android.