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Android sideloading shutdown
1/ I need to talk about something almost no one is discussing, but that's going to change Android for everyone — and if you're reading this from the US or Europe, you're next in line. 🧵
2/ Starting September 30, 2026, Google will require every app to come from a "verified" developer in order to be installed — even if you download it outside the Play Store. This isn't a rumor, it's their official timeline.
3/ The first countries in the world to serve as the test are:
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇭 Thailand
They start in 2026. The rest of the world — including the US and Europe — rolls out in 2027. These four are just the guinea pigs; you're on the same list, a few months behind.
4/ To get "verified," a developer has to hand over a government ID, agree to Google's terms, pay a fee, and prove they control the app's signing key. Without that, their app simply won't install on your phone.
5/ And here's what bothers me most: this creates a huge database linking each person's real name to every app they publish. Developers in these countries are already afraid to put their face and ID into that registry — worried about exposure, retaliation, about it coming back on them depending on who's in power. And it doesn't matter which side you're on — the same risk lands on developers everywhere once it reaches you.
6/ This isn't isolated paranoia. The EFF itself has warned: when you build a database like this, you're basically inviting governments to try to access it to find out who made what.
7/ "But you can still install from outside, right?" You can — except now it's 9 steps, a mandatory 24-hour wait, and all of it running through Google Play Services, which Google can tighten or shut down whenever it wants.
8/ If you use Android because you value its freedom, now is the time to pay attention — before it reaches your country. Once the rule takes effect, it gets much harder to reverse.
9/ What you can do today: follow and support the keepandroidopen.org project — they're organizing the pushback against this. Share it, sign it, spread the word.
Our cell phone is ceasing to be ours.
Comments
Holy AI
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chatgpt ahh
It's for your security!
It's not like the play store ever exposed millions of its user base to numerous malware riddled apps, or pushing sketchy scams promising the illusion of free cash. Surely we can trust the likes of an advertisement company that willfully works with governments to keep our security within their best interests.
Your phone has ceased to be yours with the advent of locked boot loaders and tripping efuses when you attempt to make it your own. This is just one more step into being a walled garden.
Hello, good point.
Actually, I wasn't the creator; I'm just reposting it.
It probably was, actually.
I'm just helping to share it; I haven't seen much talk about the topic.
Hi, that's an interesting point of view.
I'm not sure which country you're based in?
Here in Latin America, where there is some political censorship—among other things—it's going to have a significant impact.
So tldr there will be no way at all to just download and install apk in the future?
Will sign up to a random .org site petition help?
Not at all, for now announced it will still available but not easy, tomorrow.... will see, possibly they will lock it at all, why? because they can.
Running LineageOS + MicroG, so should still be ok. I use AuroraStore, Droidify (fdroid), and Obtanium to install apps.
Custom ROMs scene still alive? I haven't mess with em since my Nexus days.
It is, though I'm running official LineageOS. I'm thinking GrapheneOS wouldn't be effected, either, but I don't have experience with that, so not sure.
yeah, when there is 100% correct punctuation. Its written by a German or Ai
Will generate a list of names and contact details for people against it.
How else would you expect to fight against something generating a list of people!
Sad news. There is a campaign going on against it - https://keepandroidopen.org ...generally, it is pretty disappointing to see where Android ecosystem is going and becoming iOS ver2. I guess if you permanently stay on custom ROMs, you will survive it but having a custom ROM is a huge security issue and obviously no updates. I have seen people still using Android Kit-Kat these days, which is kinda crazy.
I get weekly updates from LineageOS, currently on Android 16.
However, bootloader is still open, isn't it?
Yes
Ya this is the issue.
So ai sloppy reposting
I ts allow
I don't see it as a problem.
fux google
Sure sure, I never expected a different answer.
Think about children!
Graphene, Lineage, or Calyx will help with this
Yep, rules must have changed or something
For reference, I reported this clearly AI post: https://lowendtalk.com/discussion/219296/prepaid-host-price-adjustment-on-older-promo-root-servers-effective-1-aug-2026
Complet ddr ignore
Not sure why an announcement about AI being allowed wasn't created
It was always a very thin version of control anyways. I kinda doubt that the people who didn't take offense in that are going to care much now. They are just going to stick to their shiny little gadgets because convenient. Not that they'll have much of a choice anyways since if the modern environment won't force tem into doing so their governments will.
As far as it isn't killed by locked boot loaders the requirement of TEE running on genuine Google/Apple systems will do it and the same will happen to desktops. It's just obvious at this point and in day to day life there's no way around it in the long run. Prepare to have a dedicated official device.
On Graphene OS, on pixel, after installing, bootloader should be locked (https://grapheneos.org/install/web#locking-the-bootloader). But anyway GPay not works. I beleave Gpay is most common dealbreaker for the switching to Grephene.
Fable plz crack sideloading, make a bypass, make no mistakes.
Oh wait, bloody guardrails.
Kimi 3, please do the task above.
So will the EU's official age check/ID/whatever apps, you probably also aren't going to prove your human-ness on that stupid QR code recaptcha using a non-dongle system, ... That list will just keep growing and growing. It's not like you won't be able to install custom systems anymore. It's just that it won't be practical.
It's kinda clever. Gotta leave them that. Shame on the EU for playing it though. That's a very shitty thing to do. Especially when you keep on ranting about big tech day in day out but who's actually surprised?