u/Dotdev_Prem7

I was browsing the internet and then I found the keepandroidopen.org and genuinely, they're the ones who doing for this, for us, with there great movement. Everyone should support them, sign whatever they have and thank them to rise your voice.

But about what I'm thinking and concern is eve if they succeed and Google keeps the sideload toggle, it's still 9 steps long and with a 24-hour wait. I don't think our most of normal user's who don't know how to switch from 2.4 Ghz to 5Ghz, will do this. My parents won'tdo that, my classmates/teachers won't do that.

The actual problem will still remains even after the toggle is the developers who built tools for these people still lose their audience, their users and future users. The toggle being alive doesn't mean normal people will use it.

So what's the actual solution for reaching everyday users after September? Is anyone thinking about this part?

If you want to do something about it keepandroidopen.org has an open letter signed by 71 organizations and a petition with 100k+ signatures.

I'm student and I love to make apps or saas project in vacations or in my free time. But yesterday I'm doing security test in my app but to test it i needed two device with terminal in it but I've only one laptop, so I thought to install termux through F-Droid then I can proceed but when I reached there website then I saw F-Droid guys were running a what I say a awareness movement or protest for/against Google's no opt-out policy for every Android developers to verify there identity with Google to deploy or to make there project or SaaS available to the public, to there users.

Then I talk to the people of the community and get to know that this is not just security policy, actually Google is trying to control and make there monopoly on android and on it's user. Like we all compare android and IOS in security specs and say ya you guys have security but don't have freedom for both devs and user to make and install any tool or apk they want freely. But from September will can't argue or debate on this further, there is some developers mode setting, which sideloading for which we can still will able install unverified apks but eventually Google will make impossible for us to even install unverified apks form that method too.

But the only part sounds good but I'm also confuse about it that will not this policy help and protect the developer's years of hardwork from piracy and cracked version of there apps? Ya this is a problem for indie developers, hobbyist/students (like me), those who want to make there portfolio and those who want contribute with being anonymous.!

What's opinion and view on this ? What you all have planned for this?

I'm student and I love to make apps or saas project in vacations or in free time. But yesterday I'm doing security test in my app but to test it i needed two device with terminal in it but I've only one laptop, so I thought to install termux through F-Droid, then I saw F-Droid guys were running a what I say a awareness movement or protest for/against Google's no opt-out policy for every Android developers to verify there identity with Google to deploy or make available there project or SaaS to the public.

I read full article, I understand them and there aggression behind the Google's monopoly policy. But I didn't understand what is making F-Droid this vulnerable, opposing and why there worrying about this policy too much, even after being this big community.

Will not this policy help and protect the developers years of hardwork from piracy and cracked version of there apps? Ya this is a problem for indie developers, hobbyist/students (like me), those who make there portfolio and those who want contribute with being anonymous.!

What's opinion and view on this ?

Starting September 2026, Google is requiring every Android app developer to register centrally with verified identity before their app can be installed on ANY certified Android device.

Not just Play Store apps. ALL apps. Including sideloaded APKs.

What this means practically:

— Anonymous and pseudonymous developers lose distribution

— Student and hobby projects need government ID verification

— F-Droid, open source stores and indie APK distribution are directly threatened

— Developers in countries with sensitive political climates lose safe distribution

— Free distribution as we knew it is over

The hardcore community will switch to LineageOS or GrapheneOS. But what about the 90% of normal users who will never change their OS? Those are the audiences indie developers built and served for years. They're gone.

This isn't just a policy change. It's a quiet removal of one of the last open doors in mobile development.

Is anyone else thinking about this? What's your plan after September? Are you registering with Google or looking for alternatives?

Drop your thoughts below — I'm genuinely curious what the community is planning.