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It doesn't need to be on the Play store, as long as they allow sideloading apps from known developers.

It would be challenging for Google to argue that the app should be banned entirely, as it's basically a web browser with extra APIs, like TCP/UDP sockets.

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They would ban the developer, or its key or whatever and ask him to register again and not do this again. They won't allow any workaround like this to exist because then the whole system has no purpose, they need to have control.

I think banning developers just for giving users freedom would be bad for PR. Google would have to admit that they are fighting their own users, not fighting malware.

It wouldn't be any worse PR than the current one. They'd use the same argument to ban that guy's app as they use now to ban sideloading. That it's not secure and it's a protection of users to ban it.

This is "one weird trick" thinking, but there's no tech-based counter if the device manufacturer is determined enough.

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