Of course it will… but the precedence set by the upcoming changes is worrying.
Google locks down Android in opposition to its’ ethos
Starting September of 2026 Google will make it harder for developers to distribute their software to Android devices. From this date, by default, all software must come from Google Play Store and each developer must:
- verify their identity to Google,
- pay a platform fee,
- comply with Google’s T&C
Any developer who does not comply will have their app blocked, even if the app is downloaded from alternative stores like F-Droid or F****NG MADE YOURSELF. Google claims that it will improve the security of the devices with less malware running around. While on the surface this might sound logical let’s not forget the absurd amount of fake apps flooding Google Play Store itself imitating flashlights, calendars, phone dials, SMS apps etc. targeting the least technologically literate among us.
The cop out is also laughable, Google claims this change will not impact “power users” since they can just turn off the protection. In practice the process looks like this:
- Go to Developer Options,
- Tap build number 7 times,
- Enter PIN,
- Restart device,
- Wait 24h XDDDDDDDDDD
- Choose to either allow installs for a week or forever
Unnecessarily convoluted and annoying process just to be able to install apps on the device you own, nice.
Read more:
Google adds Google Play Services as a dependency for reCAPTCHA
The appeal of many custom ROMs (Android distributions… kinda) is the ability to fully detach yourself from Google, including a lot of background services running on every Android phone by default. Unfortunately the new gen of Google’s reCAPTCHA slowly rolling out, as of now to an unknown extent, together with their new AI bot protection software will require the user to scan a QR code displayed on the screen with their mobile device. A device that will require Google Play Services installed of course… (or a reCAPTCHA app for iOS devices).
This means not only that all de-Googled phones will be unable to complete this check, which is absurd enough, but even browsing the web on your laptop or PC will require you to have access to a Googled phone. I repeat, you can be completely detached from Google’s ecosystem, have a GrapheneOS phone, Mozilla Account instead of Google’s, Proton/Tuta/Mailbox/Posteo instead of Gmail, whatever docs instead of GoogleDocs, OpenStreetMaps instead of GoogleMaps, you can be completely detached, yet Google will still require you to install their spyware software to access a website not even ran by Google…
I think it is safe to assume most large websites will continue to use Google as their bot prevention system and in turn will cause a lot of headaches for privacy-minded people.
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Android becomes a walled garden, what’s next?
I don’t know. This scenario seems more and more possible in the not so distant future. I don’t know how long will the AOSP stand, how long it will remain usable for custom ROMs. Linux-based phone OSs are far far behind Android and the way Android/iOS duopoly is entrenched makes it seem impossible for an alternative to appear. Future looks bleak but things can always change.