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A comment on Android developer verification: Balancing openness and choice with safety.

Re:Android developer verification: Balancing openness and ch... by goodusername on Thursday March 19, 2026 @06:41PM (#47447429)
Although I'm slightly relieved there is a way out of Googles verification system, it's still pretty wild if you compare this to installing software on a Windows pc. I'm sure Microsoft is heading in the same direction with Windows, but today its still "only" a few confirmations to install anything.

This will sadly still put a major damper on adoption of open source apps, while giving a false sense of security that apps from the Play store are safe.

Years down the road, the low usage of apps installed from outside the Play store will be used as an argument for removing the functionality completely.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Android developer verification: Balancing openness and ch... by AlbinoDrought on Thursday March 19, 2026 @09:07PM (#47448968)
There's an interesting subset of Windows machines out there running in "S" mode [1]. This mode restricts the customer to only using applications from the Windows Store.

We get occasional support tickets about the popups that come when trying to run a regular installer while in this mode. Luckily, people can disable "S" mode, but there's no way to re-enable "S" mode without a fresh install.

1: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Android developer verification: Balancing openness and ch... by freefaler on Thursday March 19, 2026 @08:56PM (#47448859)
Apple has been doing it for years not allowing "unsigned" software to be installed using the same "for the safety of the user" even against the user's wishes.
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Re:Android developer verification: Balancing openness and ch... by headsman771 on Thursday March 19, 2026 @09:45PM (#47449348)
And they should remain the outlier.
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Re:Android developer verification: Balancing openness and ch... by pjmlp on Friday March 20, 2026 @04:19AM (#47451884)
Yes, that is what happens with UWP applications, or sandboxing apps installed via the store with MSIX package identity.
[ Parent | on HN ]