>Verified developers will have the same freedom to distribute their apps directly to users through sideloading or through any app store they prefer.

So it’s the same then. Google can just “unverify” a developer who has published an app the kings don’t approve of.

Unverified developers can still use adb to install whatever they choose per the link:

“How does developer verification impact my use of Android Studio?

We are working to ensure these changes don’t have an impact on your day-to-day workflow so you can continue building your apps as smoothly as possible. Participating in developer verification will not affect your experience in Android Studio, the official IDE for Android app development. You will continue to be able to build and run an app even if your identity is not verified. Android Studio is unaffected because deployments performed with adb, which Android Studio uses behind the scenes to push builds to devices, is unaffected. You can continue to develop, debug, and test your app locally by deploying to both emulators and physical devices, just as you do now.”

For clarity, they're requiring apps to be signed by a verified developer on certified Android devices. You can still side load, but the verification is still required for the side loaded apps.