Google to require developer verification to install and sideload Android apps

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by wvenable on Monday August 25, 2025 @06:35PM (#45019979)

Microsoft mismanaged it but there was a potential parallel universe where they were successful at that plan and consumer versions of Windows would be locked to the Microsoft store.

They did a bunch of terrible inept rollouts with confusing technology for both users and developers and effectively shot themselves in the foot. But it did not have to go down that way.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by donmcronald on Monday August 25, 2025 @06:50PM (#45020113)

Yep. They fumbled the ball on step 1 of demand aggregation and we got lucky there was nothing of value for the 99% of users that will blindly take the easy path.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by georgemcbay on Monday August 25, 2025 @08:27PM (#45020840)

> there was a potential parallel universe where they were successful at that plan and consumer versions of Windows would be locked to the Microsoft store.

Sounds like a nightmare universe.

I've got a hobby app in kotlin multiplatform with iOS/Android/Windows/WASM builds and while I have no issues with Apple's App Store or Google Play, I've had nothing but problems trying to support Windows Store.

The MSIX installer format is horrendous to deal with and the certification process for new releases on Windows Store is always far too long and in the cases they do find issues the reports of the issue that they log are entirely worthless.

I ended up just pulling the app off the Windows Store entirely and making it a downloadable *.msi installer. While the extra layer of presumed integrity of the app being on the Microsoft Store would be nice it wasn't remotely worth the effort for the tiny amount of people who were using the Windows version in the first place, especially given the app is free.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by wvenable on Monday August 25, 2025 @09:00PM (#45021060)

That's funny because I don't presume anything on the Windows store has integrity and feel safer downloading the MSI from the official source.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by tonyhart7 on Monday August 25, 2025 @09:04PM (#45021087)

this is literally just an xbox lol

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by Stevvo on Tuesday August 26, 2025 @10:31AM (#45027089)

Well, no, that was never the plan, except in the heads of conspiracy theorists.

[ Parent | on HN ]