Google’s plans to verify the identity of developers releasing apps even outside the Play Store sparked fears Android was about to get a whole lot less open. Not so, says Google, insisting in a new blog post that sideloading apps “is fundamental to Android and it is not going away.” [Link: Let's talk security: Answering your top questions about Android developer verification | https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/09/lets-talk-security-answering-your-top.html | Android Developers Blog]

Google’s plans to verify the identity of developers releasing apps even outside the Play Store sparked fears Android was about to get a whole lot less open. Not so, says Google,…

Google promises verification will make Android safer, but at what cost?