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Comment by runting | Hacker News Reader

This isn't so bad. Unlike other mobile OSes (namely iOS and HarmonyOS), you will still be able to install whatever you like on Android over a USB debugging connection (adb) without any developer verification.

It doesn't take much effort to enable Developer Options, plug into a laptop and run "adb install whatever.apk". It's kind of like the floppy disk era again, having to physically insert things into one's computer to install software. Not a big deal.

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At least as far as I understand, this would be a huge issue for F-Droid, to the extent that it isn't clear if it can continue at all. Half of my apps come from there, and gets automatically updated. Starting to download APKs manually and install them with ADB isn't impossible, but a huge downside.

This might open up a market opportunity for an "F-Droid box" that one would plug into an Android phone over USB, to install and update F-Droid apps over adb. Or the equivalent software for a laptop.

Taking away adb install should be the next step. It's a slippery slope

Is there any evidence that Google plan to do this?

They've made their intentions clear. As soon as third-parties start to use adb for sideloading there's a very good chance they start to lock that down as well.

That is speculation. Is there any evidence?

None that will satisfy your standards, given I think only the announcement from google themselves will.

Was there ever evidence that they would take away apk installing?

The current trajectory provides at least strong evidence.

If adb installing is used to circumvent their signing programm, it has to go as well.

adb backup is gone

> It doesn't take much effort to enable Developer Options, plug into a laptop and run "adb install whatever.apk"

This is clearly a troll, confirmed by the green username.

Remember there are likely Google developers on this site. Maybe some of the same ones that are implementing this change.

Not a troll, just someone who read the article to see what these developer verification changes actually entail.

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