> Google will allow users to sideload Android apps without verification

Ford will allow drivers to carry passengers without verification.

Sounds silly, doesn't it?

Security by obscurity. That's my device, that's my decision to install whatever I want.

I see here and there some comments about someone was scammed, etc… Lack of knowledge of users is not a good reason. They still will get scammed, in a different way, but outcome will be the same.

On PC one can install whatever want - and nobody is blaming OS for it.

Google is about to find out the next step of this chain - give access to everyone, don't gatekeep / do checks, and yet take responsibility for anything that goes wrong.

"You should open up the tool, put no restrictions, and yet ensure that it is safe and secure" is an impossible task for anyone.

"Keeping users safe on Android is our top priority." This is propaganda. It is a statement made to dissuade people from the real issue. The top priority is to make money.

It is hard to to trust anyone who starts communication with an obvious falsehood. Users beware.

If it doesn't require a Google account and just means jumping through a bunch of hoops the first time, maybe requiring a USB cable, OK. If it does require a Google account, or won't let you give permission to F-Droid to install stuff, I call foul.

I will never use the term 'sideloading' for 'installing'.

"Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands. We are gathering early feedback on the design of this feature now and will share more details in the coming months."

So they haven't actually changed anything yet, but they say that they will "in the coming months."

Good job everybody, just don’t start complaining when your family members installed malware, their banking and health information is leaked, and you have to fix this for them.

> We are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified

I believe they will push responsability onto OEM.

Google's move is very good for the web. By pushing app makers away from walled platforms, you turn them to standardized, open ones such as the web.