Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading

Google definitely seems determined to push their plans through. As a developer who has also a Google Play app I received a mail from Google a few days ago, urging me to do the developer registrations for apps outside the play store.

It’s still the same shit that will kill app repositories like f-droid. App names have to be registered together with signing keys. I see a real risk of people hijacking another developers app.

For f-droid apps could only be distributed widely if they were signed by the developer (which for f-droid’s trust system requires the build to be reproducible) and the developer registered the apps with Google. I’m pretty sure that number will be small.

Otherwise f-droid will only be feasible on alternative Android distributions.