0xedbGoogle details new 24-hour process to sideload unverified Android apps
https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/android-de...
The part in the flow where you select between allowing app installs for 7 days or forever is a glimpse into the future. That toggle shows the thought process that's going on at Google.
I can bet that a few versions down the line, the "Not recommended" option of allowing installs indefinitely will become so not recommended that they'll remove it outright. Then shrink the 7 day window to 3 days or less. Or only give users one allowed attempt at installing an app, after which it's another 24 hour waiting period for you. Then ask the user to verify themselves as a developer if they want to install whatever they want. Whatever helps them turn people away from alternatives and shrink the odds of someone dislodging their monopoly, they will do. Anything to drive people to Google Play only.
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Alex Jones is a bit much, yathink?
They're an amoral monopolistic megacorp that should have been broken up a year ago.
They are performing the ritual of maximalist offensive position -> half-hearted walk back to a worse status quo.
Is the problem they claim to want to solve real? Maybe. I haven't seen a convincing breakdown that doesn't lump a lot of unrelated fraud in the unvetted APK bucket.
That's beside the point though. No one should applaud this utterly predictable and disgusting behavior.
I don't accept it when Unity does it. I don't accept it when Hasbro does it. I won't accept it here either.
Google has a fetish for controlling what I can install because they earn money by sitting on the brdige between me and the app developer. That is not a conspiracy theory like you try to portray it. That is basic economics.
I see a bull charging full-sprint at me, I'm not going to sit here and consider whether he's merely reacting to a loud noise or if he's actively trying to gore me to death. Incidentally limiting user freedom is indistinguishable from purposefully limiting user freedom.