The tone of this article is way off. This guy comes across as the most clueless, naive person in the world.

Which is why they’re locking the is down.

The 30 percent Google tax is officially dead

Exactly the opposite. Google’s extending their control and making it significantly more difficult for developers to make their apps available and for Android users to find and install those apps.

I don’t really understand this article’s title. Third party app stores are available with their own payment or donation methods already.

Elsewhere, the tech giant is also introducing a new ‘program’ that aims to make sideloading ‘qualified’ app stores an easier affair. Third-party app stores that meet certain quality and safety benchmarks will boast a simplified installation flow, as seen in the image below.

Having ‘qualified’ app stores and ‘qualified’ apps gives Google more control, not less. The third party app stores available can now be blocked on devices.

It’s worth noting that the ‘Registered App Store program’ will begin outside the US first. It will expand to the US in the future, subject to court approval.

The EU’s policies on data is sickening.

It’s typical corporate marketing bullshit to cover up their real authoritarian censorship mechanism: https://keepandroidopen.org/

bullshit

App stores shouldn’t have to register at all. If nothing is done about Google’s plans to require developer registration to release apps, then their monopoly will be stronger than ever.