The theme of sideloading on Android, or the possibility of installing apps from external sources from the Google Play Store, returns to the center of the debate and this time with decidedly heated tones; after Google’s recent statements, which reiterated that sideloading will not disappear despite the new developer verification rules, comes the harsh reply from F-Droidthe well-known alternative open source repository, which defines Mountain View’s reassurances clear, concise and false.
The debate on sideloading in Android is becoming increasingly heated
The controversy arises from the new rules introduced by Google, which will require each developer to verify their identity through official documents and to connect each app to a registered account; according to the company, this is a necessary step forward to improve the security of the Android ecosystem and protect users from malicious software.
F-Droid however, doesn’t think so at all, in a new post with the eloquent title “What are we talking about when we talk about sideloading“, the open source project accuses Google of wanting to transform an open system into a controlled platform. In fact, the new procedure would make it technically impossible to continue installing apps outside the Play Store, it would require the green light from Google, which would effectively have the final say on which software can or cannot be run on Android devices.
Users bought a device believing in the promise of an open platformwrites F-Droid, but soon Google will promote an update that will limit this right, leaving users only what the company considers reliable.
F-Droid goes beyond simple technical criticism and speaks to a broader issue, the transparency of the installation process and, above all, the power of control over apps. According to the platform, the new rules would give Google unprecedented influence on software distribution, putting alternative stores and independent developers who do not want or cannot adapt to the policies imposed by the company in difficulty.
In a particularly tough passage, F-Droid it also addresses regulatory authorities, inviting them to intervene against what it defines as a threat to digital sovereignty:
You, the State, are surrendering your citizens’ rights and your digital sovereignty to a company that has a proven track record of satisfying authoritarian regimes’ out-of-court requests to remove perfectly legal apps that they don’t like.
A heavy accusation, which calls into question not only the transparency, but also the neutrality of Google in the management of apps distributed outside the Play Store.
For its part, Google has already responded to these criticisms, confirming that sideloading will remain a fundamental feature of Android and that the new rules will only serve to improve the security of the ecosystem, without limiting user freedom or preventing the distribution of third-party software.
According to the company, developer identity checks will reduce the risks of fraud, malware and personal data breaches, especially in a period in which cyber attacks on Android are constantly increasing.
However, F-Droid remains skeptical, the platform recognizes that Google technically keeps sideloading alive, but underlines how the process will become opaque, conditional and dependent on the company’s judgment.
Google is expected to gradually roll out the new developer verification system over the next year, with the aim of making it mandatory for all Android certified stores globally. In the meantime, the comparison between the two visions (that of Google oriented towards security, and that of F-Droid focused on freedom of use) is destined to intensify, especially in Europe, where the regulations on sideloading and interoperability between alternative stores represent still open ground for political and technological confrontation.
