Google: Difference between revisions

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Devices without [[Google Mobile Services]] or running custom ROMs are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211440/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250829215120/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>

=== Banning domain-blockers from Play Store ===

Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L106</ref>

Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.

===Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update===

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*[[Google Pixel Watches do not come with repair options]]

== External links ==

==External links==

* "[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices

*"[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices

==References==

[[Category:Google]]

@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 Devices without [[Google Mobile Services]] or running custom ROMs are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211440/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250829215120/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>
+=== Banning domain-blockers from Play Store ===
+Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L106</ref>
+Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.
 ===Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update===
@@ Line 136: / Line 141: @@
 *[[Google Pixel Watches do not come with repair options]]
-== External links ==
+==External links==
-* "[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices
+*"[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices
 ==References==
 <references />
 [[Category:Google]]