First things first, help us stop Google from following through with the announcement to end Android freedom in 2027 and sign the petition.

While Apple is being forced by the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) to open its app store - which Apple did through malicious compliance, and WhatsApp is being forced to become interoperable with other messenger apps - at least in Europe, Google recently decided to go into the exact opposite direction: The plan is to make it harder for independent developers to distribute their “deGoogled” apps.

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Pressure from “deGoogle” trend

Officially, Google argues that this move is all about “security”, but as Malwarebytes and The Register have pointed out, there have been lots of malicious apps distributed via Google Play with millions of downloads so security is a very weak argument.

This move looks like Google has realized that the growing deGoogle movement is starting to hurt its business. As it stands, a growing number of people looking for Google alternatives, which is underlined by the “deGoogle” Sub-Reddit that has about 240k followers and which has further grown since the recent trend of choosing European tech services instead of Big Tech solutions from the US. So now, Google pushes against this trend by making it more difficult for developers to offer independent apps, and thus for end users to side-load apps on Android; as we’ve reported before.

User on Mastodon commenting: “Get off Google, shun tech bro products, buy fairphone, root your phone, get control of your device. We are in big trouble.”

Destroying F-Droid

The F-Droid team recently warned how this move by Google will destroy independent app stores like F-Droid. Google’s requirement for independent app developers to register via Google - and to pay a registration fee to Google! - will end in a complicated and unsolvable situation for F-Droid:

1. F-Droid can not require developers to register through Google
2. F-Droid can not “take over the application identifiers” provided by Google for the open source apps as this would imply exclusive distribution rights to these open source apps
3. In the end, this will destroy F-Droid and thousands of secure and open source apps will no longer be available.

This is huge, and people are starting to understand.

User on Mastodon commenting: “Why the hell does Google now want to monopolize the app store too? I currently have F-Droid on my phone, and the 7-8 apps I absolutely cannot live without all come from F-Droid!”

Ultimately, Google’s plan will stop you from owning your Android phone. Once, these plans are put into action, Google will decide what apps you can or can not install on your Android phone, just like Apple decides this for iPhone users.

While Android, which wasn’t even invented by Google(!), used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple.

User on Mastodon commenting: “It’s worth noting that Google is a member of the #clubofoligarch”

Don’t let Google kill Android freedom

We at Tuta say:

Don’t let Google kill Android freedom

• Sign the petition
• Make noise on social media and tag @Google
• Make noise with legislators and regulators, pointing to DMA obligations by Big Tech gatekeepers - which Google is violating if the plans are put into action
• Contact your Member of Parliament, Congressperson or other representative, and the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) team to explain why Android freedom matters and how Google’s plan is hurting this.

Read our deep dive blog post on why Google’s plans to stop side-loading of independent apps is problematic.

Together we can make the web a better place!