I worry that the overton window has shifted so much after over a decade and a half of most downloads being mediated by "app stores" that most people don't realize or have the means to vocalize or understand what they're missing.

I don't see in what world you would want to test this and help Google make this feature better, especially if you're doing it for free.

The issue is that of network effects. Making it harder to sideload for example f-droid makes the already small market for it even smaller, leading to less apps. It also forces people developing Apps that they don't want to reveal to be developing for completly valid reasons (Imagine developing a porn app in saudi arabia or an abortion support app in the USA) to validate against google aka the US Government.

Ask yourself how relevant and interesting you'd find this comment if someone else had posted it.

i think your opinion is pretty dated.