An Open Letter to Google regarding Mandatory Developer Registration for Android App Distribution
keepandroidopen.org
Open Letter to Google Regarding Mandatory Developer Registration for Third-Party App Distribution

With the upcoming changes to how Google handle’s app verification, the future of the android ecosystem looks pretty grim.

While there are calls to petition and protest, it is long past time to take our phones out of the hands of google and into the community.

With the mass tech layoffs, the ai storm taking jobs,etc, there are more than enough skilled devs with free time to make this happen. We as the community need to support them financially.

Please help spread the message in your various channels. If you’re technically capable enough, start the process!

https://keepandroidopen.org/open-letter/

https://f-droid.org/en/2026/02/24/open-letter-opposing-developer-verification.html

  • lambalicious@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    10·
    8 days ago

    Technically the correct first thing to do is to make the manufacturers release the relock keys for relocking the bootloaders of extant hardware (say, the Moto G6 for an example). Having MicroG or whatever is not much useful if there’s not going to be a feasible phone on which to install, so getting extant phones to become relockable with AOSP distros would be priority. And the way the economy si going and the RAM chips are not, forcing everyone interested to have to buy a whole new phone is not a smart choice.

    Once the relock keys are out, fund All the Things. Lineage, Calyx, MicroG, what have you.

    • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      2·
      7 days ago

      Technically the correct first thing to do is to make the manufacturers release the relock keys for relocking the bootloaders of extant hardware (say, the Moto G6 for an example).

      Yeah, but that’s not profitable, so they won’t.

      • lambalicious@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        2·
        6 days ago

        Doesn’t have to be profitable. Can also be punishable, either via adequate state violence, or via People violence. Could be interesting to see something like what the EU has made as a threat of removing all copyright safeguards for the US in case the US presents more as a threat, so I guess the equivalent would be removing all patent safeguards for tinkering with phone manufacturer firmwares if the manufacturers won’t provide a solution for the People themselves.

        • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          2·
          5 days ago

          Could be interesting to see something like what the EU has made as a threat of removing all copyright safeguards for the US in case the US presents more as a threat, so I guess the equivalent would be removing all patent safeguards for tinkering with phone manufacturer firmwares if the manufacturers won’t provide a solution for the People themselves.

          I can get behind that. Hoping this shithole country grows a spine soon.