Starting with Android 16, phones will verify sideloaded apps against a Google registry via a new 'Android Developer Verifier,' often requiring internet access. Developers must pay a $25 verification fee or use a limited free tier; alternative app stores may need pre‑auth tokens, and F‑Droid could break.
— Turning sideloading into a cloud‑mediated, identity‑gated process shifts Android toward a quasi‑walled garden, with implications for open‑source apps, competition policy, and user control.
BeauHD
2025.10.07
62% relevant
Like Android’s move to cloud‑mediated developer verification that limits local control, Windows 11’s account mandate removes offline setup autonomy and routes core OS activation through a vendor‑run identity service.
BeauHD
2025.10.03
100% relevant
Google’s announcement of the Android Developer Verifier, paid verification mirroring Play’s $25 fee, and reliance on network checks that may break F‑Droid.
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