Keep Android Open
In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google.
This registration will involve:
- Paying a fee to Google
- Agreeing to Google’s Terms and Conditions
- Providing government identification
- Uploading evidence of an app’s private signing key
- Listing all current and future application identifiers
Sign the open letter. And get active to help oppose the enactment of the policy in other ways listed on the website. Are there any more ways to oppose this?
I hear you. But what are non-technical users supposed to do? Compile their own apps? Flash firmware and SSH in to install the right radios and drivers?
People treat their phones like appliances. They go to app stores to get apps which developers ensure work for specific SDKs on phones carefully tuned to work well with the carier’s networks.
There are definitely users who will do everything from scratch. But like Linux for PCs, success of alternative OSs on phones will be dependent on there existing a good out of the box experience with the ability to integrate with hardware and third party software and/or quality open alternatives.
Most Linux users don’t compile anything and live happily.