Android: Google's registration requirement for app developers meets resistance

Google's plans to link app installations on certified Android devices with a central registration of their developers continue to be criticized. In an open letter, actors and companies from the open-source scene as well as civil society accuse the company of endangering Android's open ecosystem. They are calling for an end to the mandatory registration. The letter was signed by, among others, the Chaos Computer Club, the Free Software Foundation, the mail provider Tuta, the creators of the Vivaldi browser, and the GitHub alternative Codeberg.

Among other things, the letter criticizes that Google would be positioning itself as a gatekeeper for third-party distribution channels with such developer verification. Anyone distributing their apps via their websites, third-party alternative app stores, company sales systems, or similar would have to obtain Google's approval through a mandatory verification process. This would include agreeing to the terms and conditions, paying a fee, and uploading an official ID.

The authors of the letter also criticize the creation of artificial barriers to entry and fear data protection risks from a central database of Android developers held by the company. Furthermore, competition distortions could occur if Google collects data on who offers which apps through such registration.

No Ban on Sideloading

Last August, Google initially announced that from autumn 2026, only applications whose publishers have previously registered with Google and then signed the respective application will be installable on certified Android devices. Until now, such a registration requirement only applied to developers offering apps via Google's Play Store.

After protests, the company seemed to back down and emphasized that it did not want to prohibit installations from alternative app stores or direct installation of application files, also known as sideloading. Rather, the goal was to develop a “new, advanced flow” that would allow “experienced users” to “accept the risks of installing unverified software.” This was intended to improve Android's security.

What does the “advanced flow” look like?

It is not yet clear exactly how Google will then set up hurdles for installing unverified apps. F-Droid developer Marc Prud'hommeaux criticized that Google has not yet made the “advanced flow” public. Google also failed to keep its promise to collect early feedback on the design of this feature.

Code analyses suggest that the process could include a warning dialog and an active component that requires an internet connection. If none is available, users will receive a warning that the developer status cannot be verified.

It will likely take some time before users of certified Android versions in Europe encounter these new installation hurdles anyway. From September 2026, the installation of anonymous apps will first be made more difficult in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. From 2027, the rest of the world will follow gradually. Verification for all developers is expected to be available as early as March 2026.

(axk)