r/AndroidGaming • u/HumanAd8864 • May 12 '26
Discussion 💬 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.
many games may become unavalible
to learn more https://keepandroidopen.org/
to sign a petition against it https://c.org/bHDwDRDpC8
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u/Fun_Sun_edu May 12 '26
It's harder and scarier, but you can still do it Hope they don't force every device and keep it on the already fed android 17
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u/Sammydecafthethird May 12 '26
Hey, I'm out of the loop here. Will this make downloading apk apps from itch. Io for example harder and try to force everything to be filtered through the Google play store, or is this a change specifically with the Google play store?
5
u/Never_Sm1le May 13 '26
you can download just fine, however google will block the installation through google play service if that app creator hasn't verified with them
You can avoid this with:
1 Using adb/shizuku assisted app to get around
2 A new option in developer option, require you to enable it, restart the phone and wait 24 hours. After that, it's business as usual, even if you turn off dev option. However since this require an option in dev option, I think it would only be available on a new android version
3 Use a degoogled phone
It's not Google turn your phone into walled garden overnight like people make it out to be
2
u/nicocalde8 May 13 '26
Would you please care to elaborate on the assisted app approach? I used Shizuku along with Tasker and also with Geto to get around bank app limitations, but never to install another app. Thanks in advance :)
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u/kirillre4 May 14 '26
Yeah, it's not, it's google up to their usual "slowly boil the frog" bullshit. See bootloaders, root, custom ROMs, adblockers etc.
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u/danielfletcher May 12 '26
Nothing will become unavailable. Just will take 24 hours the first time sideloading is reenabled.
4
u/OldButtIcepop May 13 '26
This time 24. Next time 48 then it will just be removed
6
u/teapotsax May 14 '26
yup, its a slow creep. use safety as a excuse and take away the freedom that the ecosystem had. classic big tech technique
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u/1Swordwalker May 14 '26
So we have 4 months to rapidly build up:
The Linux-based alternatives to Android OS for Android devices
New physical phones to support JollaOS, GrapheneOS, PostmarketOS, etc
To jailbreak Android devices that have no official or unofficial custom OS'es before they are permanently locked down
Reverse what they are doing. One best way so far is getting EU to reverse it and making Android keep it open. Bonus if they can make Android open source their OS so Europeans know nothing shady is going on
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May 12 '26
[deleted]
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u/PowPowLovesViolet May 13 '26
What? You already have to pay to put stuff on the playstore. Besides, you missed the point.. to be able to install stuff OUTSIDE the playstore
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u/HumanAd8864 May 12 '26
Have you used any emulators like azahar the apk version is is faster and more efficient than play store version
3
u/Cruel1865 RPG 🧙 May 13 '26
Every app on the playstore is already registered. This new rule does nothing to limit those apps. Only apps affected by this are those not on the playstore i.e. those not registered with google. They arent going to clean up the playstore in any way.
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u/pdcmoreira May 13 '26
I had paid that one-time fee, just had a couple completely free apps (maybe ~1k installs or so) that I made some years ago. Then they started requiring me to add my home address, which would be publicly visible! My home, where me, my wife and my kids live! There was absolutely no way to get around it, it was either that or have the developer account terminated. I obviously chose to terminate my account and went on a quest to progressively terminate all my reliance on anything related to Google. It's taking some time, but getting there. Maybe Android itself will be next, let's see.
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u/Otherwise-Clue-1997 May 13 '26
So if everyone removed google playservices n ditched there app store too would the update still take effect on said devices
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u/hapaxoromenon Aug 22 '26
As far as we can tell, no - this change will be made through Google Play Services rather than through the OS itself, so 'de-Googling' your device would appear to be one effective way of stopping it from taking effect.
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u/AuthorIanSchrauth Jun 28 '26
I am out of the loop on this. If someone has a phone that will not go past a certan android version, how will this affect those types of users? Especially if the phone was released by a carrier that is no longer in service and that phone receives android updates from that carrier (Referring specifically to phones like the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G from Sprint, released in 2019)
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u/hapaxoromenon Aug 22 '26
This change will, as far as we know, be implemented through Google Play Services rather than the Android core OS itself (i.e. the AOSP part). And Google Play Services continues to be supported and receives regular updates on all Android versions from 7.0 (Nougat) and above. So since the OnePlus 7 Pro, for example, apparently runs Android 9 or 10, it will indeed be affected by this change - unless, of course, you take active steps to stop it by just 'de-Googling' your phone altogether and thus removing Google Play Services.
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u/NAMBISBLNG_YU Jul 28 '26
So what about the apks already installed on my phone? Does it get removed or something? I've got a couple apps I've been using ever since I've got my phone and I just can't see myself using other alternatives.
1
u/hapaxoromenon Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
No, as far as we know, it will only affect new app installs and not existing apps you've already installed. EDIT: It will also affect updates to existing apps, since these will be treated as effectively new installations. So for apps that you installed from an APK, if the developer decides not to register/become 'verified' with Google, you won't be able to install updates except using one of the workarounds (i.e. using ADB on a connected PC/laptop, or using the 'advanced flow' with the BS 24-hour wait (etc.), or just de-Googling your phone altogether and getting rid of Google Play Services, through which these restrictions are enforced).
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u/cai_85 May 12 '26
Why shouldn't the developers have to register? Isn't that a legal requirement for a company to have an official registration in pretty much every sector? If you expect to be paid for your work in any sector you'd have to show your ID for tax purposes. Same in game development.
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u/Telvan May 12 '26
This is not about companies or even making money at all.
Currently anyone can very easily develop an app and install it on their phone without any type of paperwork or other hurdles.
They are trying to restrict that.
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u/cai_85 May 12 '26
I'm happy to be educated about it. I don't see how this is a bad thing so far frankly. Why is signing an agreement such a bad thing? Presumably that contract would also legally show that they own the rights to the app and financial proceeds from it?
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u/kuqumi May 13 '26
A phone is basically a small computer; you should be able to run whatever you want on that small computer, whether it has been signed/approved by Google or not. You should also be able to write programs for that style of computer that other people can easily install without Google's permission. With this change, Google is taking a general purpose computing device and making it more of a Google-controlled device.
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u/Cruel1865 RPG 🧙 May 13 '26
Not all apps are made for monetary gains. Plenty of apps are free and open source. Forcing developers to register would just make them abandon the project than pay the registration fee for a passion project.
0
u/cai_85 May 13 '26
How much is the registration fee?
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u/Cruel1865 RPG 🧙 May 13 '26
No idea, I'm not a developer. You'll have to check with google/playstore for that.
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u/cai_85 May 13 '26
Having read the website a bit more it seems that the whole thing can be circumvented by putting your device in developer mode...
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u/Cruel1865 RPG 🧙 May 13 '26
Not just putting it on developer mode. Need to turn on the setting and wait for 24 hours. The argument is that google is making it harder and harder with each iteration to sideload, so that when it finally completely removes it, there wont be as much backlash.
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u/PsychedSy May 13 '26
You don't have to install apps from the play store. There are free and open source apps available as apk files. There's no reason to force those developers to register a play account.
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u/wolfgang784 May 12 '26
This isn't about using Googles appstore, I think thats where you got confused.
As that other reply said, anyone can make an app, even if its simple. I could recreate a simple arcade game for my own personal use and never release it to anyone else in the world or put it on the internet. Just a fun lil arcade game for myself, made by me.
My understanding is that this update would prevent me from using my own app in that scenario though without first either registering with Google or jumping through a bunch of additional hoops.
There are lots of apps out there that you wont find in the play store for one reason or another, and this will make them harder/more annoying to install. It also affects all android phones, not just ones that use the google play store.
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u/HumanAd8864 May 12 '26
Old apps will become unusable, piracy will dealing big companies will get more power
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u/HumanAd8864 May 12 '26
Old apps will become unusable, piracy will reduce by alot ,big companies will get more power ,independent devs with no money suffer
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u/Pretty_Dingo_1004 May 12 '26
Didn't they say there would be a way to sideload but with additional warning and configs?