Developing apps for Android will require payment to google and revealing developer identity

[Trml]

Android embeds signatures in APK (and the old JAR) packages. It's not the question to check them automatically or not, but what's required to land in G play store.

With what G announced, a user can still install f-droid or another store and rely on them doing the checks prior to install. The problem I see more is that G is shifting responsibility for the less profitable part of the ecosystem they profit hugely from to third parties, who are doomed to update and roll with all android release changes, while neither having say or prior insight (re security) nor adequate resources to cope with a huge user base.

 

[wendy-lebaron]

i don't love google. but it's their platform. i'm glad they're doing it.

go and yell all you want if you're an "indie" developer. because i don't care if you think about putting up malicious software.

that is the principal reason why someone is required. to properly identify himself/herself as developer. before being allowed to share.

of course there are other ways. such as creating bogus appimages dumped somewhere...

android being a "hot mess" couldn't be said better. to make a long story short. i just cannot use my portable device sometimes. if not as phone.