519
Google's plan to restrict sideloading on Android has a potential escape hatch for users
(www.androidauthority.com)
this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2025
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This is actually worse than integration in Play Protect which can be disabled very easily. Now you can only install unsigned apps via ADB which means just developers can do it.
Leaving ADB open to unverified apps is more than I was expecting. ADB is reasonably straightforward to use even without actually being an Android developer.
There was never any way they'd integrate it to play protect and still allow play protect to be disabled. I prefer this to being required to use play protect personally, though the services do seem somewhat redundant. Presumably the whole point of doing this is to create an Apple style walled garden (which is of course very profitable). Google likely doesn't want to fully lock it down and risk legal trouble, they just need to make it difficult enough that the masses don't bother installing unapproved apps that may not act in Google's interests.
I still hope the EU takes legal action against this anyway.
I don't think this adds anything tbh as peoppe with adb would always be able to bypass this. The issue is that this kills distribution and thats exactly what Google wants - have full competitive control. Once they don't like your app they'll block your account and what do you do with your customer base? Give them adb install instructions? That's basically a death sentence for any app.
Or anyone with a computer who installs ADB. You don't have to be a developer.
Nah you can't realistically distribute your app with adb requirement. No one will bother to go through such friction.
Although you are correct, you still don't have to be a developer to find use in ADB. I've used it and I've never been interested enough in developing for Android to do more than install the SDK for it once.
Knowing what an SDK is already puts you in the 1% most knowledgeable users
And very annoying too since some government apps don't like it when you have developer mode on.
Not only government. I can't see my daughter's insulin pump status if I don't disable developer mode.
I believe I got a notification that it disables NFC payments when developer mode is enabled. Which I know not as many people use it in the U.S. but some do.
Shit, I've disabled developer mode and still can't access my bank app