This is Android's new 'advanced flow' for sideloading apps without verification, includes one-day waiting period
https://9to5google.com/2026/03/19/android-advanced-flow-sideloading/
https://9to5google.com/2026/03/19/android-advanced-flow-sideloading/
40 Comments
kata1yst@sh.itjust.works · 85 pts · 154d
Better than I expected.
But I also worry this is the first twist of the dial to boil the frog.
Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip · 23 pts · 154d
Yeah, honestly for me I'm going to run graphene until postmarketOS matures or someone gets VOLTE working for ports for sailfish so all I want is devs to keep deving until I can move
umbrella@lemmy.ml · 18 pts · 153d
definitemaybe@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 153d
This is a huge relief, for me.
It means that I can keep my current phone until it dies, which should give Linux phone enough time to mature that I never buy an Android phone again!
It sounds like Linux phone is close to being "ready" as a daily driver, at least for power users. Reliable VoLTE sounds like it's not quite there, which is necessary for me (living in a country with only VoLTE calling).
sevenoverthree@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 78d
At some point I want to setup linux on my android phone and tablet with chroot. I have heard devices with reasonably good output are getting some pretty amazing performance.
To me this could be one of those moments like how the steam deck basically opened the door for linux on pc's. The hardware is there. A modern phone with 12gb of ram can do plenty at this point.
wingswithbones@lemmus.org · 79 pts · 154d
Making competent users wait a day to install apps they want to install is ridiculous
floofloof@lemmy.ca · 21 pts · 154d
It's a one-time wait when you first enable the feature, not a wait each time you want to install something, but yes.
snooggums@piefed.world · 21 pts · 154d
That is even more stupid.
Matth@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 153d
What happens when you turn off / on developer options? I read some people had to because of their bank apps refusing to work if developer options is on.
Personnally I hate what they are doing, it's not going to protect more and surely it a steps to allow removal to side load in future. I don't think it would fly if Microsoft was doing that on Windows...
kwasow@feddit.org · 2 pts · 151d
AFAIK Google said you can disable developer options after doing this and them being disabled won't affect your ability to install non-Google registered apps.
fodor@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 153d
For now.
es_eskaliert@feddit.org · 3 pts · 153d
Hoping there might be some adb command to bypass this
SomethingBurger@jlai.lu · 3 pts · 153d
But you need developer options to enable ADB... and they are locked behind the 24h period.
kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com · -1 pts · 152d
Depending on how competent you're talking, ADB still works fine.
berty@feddit.org · 26 pts · 154d
Of course this is all for security reasons so we don't download these evil and malicious apps from well known appstores like F-Droid. Thank you Google for parenting me so well and kindly, I would have never known how to stay protected.
Notamoosen@lemmy.zip · 26 pts · 153d
It's the 24 hour wait portion that makes me continue to think Google is not acting in good faith. Any or all of the following steps - hiding it behind developer options, a warning about being coached, and even the restart to disconnect any live sessions, I could buy as reasonable efforts to protect people. 24 hours is ridiculous though. They also didn't seem to address what happens if you factory reset your phone or get a new one. Would it be a days wait each time? A lot of us will be fine with adb during that time period, but an "intermediate" user who likes f-droid but isn't comfortable with the adb command line shouldn't have to wait a day to install their apps.
altphoto@lemmy.today · 16 pts · 153d
One day! Are they stupid???
Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 153d
Willoughby@piefed.world · -12 pts · 154d
Cool, going to iPhone out of spite.
Black rectangle or white rectangle. What's the big difference now?
uuj8za@piefed.social · 24 pts · 154d
I think the correct answer is to go Motorola+GrapheneOS
stochasticity@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 153d
Has their graphene compatible device been released yet?
uuj8za@piefed.social · 5 pts · 153d
Na, it's a no-go if you need a phone right now. We're a few years out.
But, Motorola did announce their partnership with GrapheneOS on the official Motorola blog: https://motorolanews.com/motorola-three-new-b2b-solutions-at-mwc-2026/
I actually did need a phone replacement a month ago and I went with Fairphone for now. Trying to spread out the power, instead of concentrating it.
SatyrSack@quokk.au · 0 pts · 153d
No. It hasn't even been announced. There has just been mass speculation stemming from some AI-generated blog post.
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 153d
https://motorolanews.com/motorola-three-new-b2b-solutions-at-mwc-2026/
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/32656-motorola-partnership-announcement
flying_sheep@lemmy.ml · 18 pts · 154d
Idiotic. On iPhone you can't install apps from files at all.
DrunkAnRoot@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 153d
you can but its a pain in the ass. i was expiermenting on my old iphone before i switched to graphene and you need a apple devolper certificate for 100 dollars a year and a seperate computer
xan1242@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 153d
You do not need a dev account.
The process to sideloading on iOS requires you to use something like AltStore and self-sign the app package (IPA) with your own Apple ID.
The signature is valid for 7 days and you can do it with up to 10 apps.
Normally you need a computer in the network with a server that communicates with the sideloading client on the device to perform the signatures, however there are workarounds to do this all on device too (just needs internet access).
Does this suck? Yes. But the reality is, I hadn't have had the need to use it. There are (mostly) niche reasons you'd do this (JIT emulation, modded apps, unapproved apps).
But to be real here, to most people this just isn't worth it. There are emulators on the App Store now too, so what's left there aren't things most people need.
Is there a bigger argument to be made here on how the need is also silenced by NOT having it easily accessible? Yes. But, do keep in mind, most people don't bother on Android today already anyway.
flying_sheep@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 153d
I thought it's only possible through “alternative app marketplaces” on top of all that?
DrunkAnRoot@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 152d
thats temporary you can have more permanant ones with apple dev account
flying_sheep@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 152d
Sure. Point is: you can't just install stuff onto the device you own without someone paying apple for the “privilege”
DrunkAnRoot@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 152d
i get it thats y i switched off apple
T156@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 153d
Were Apple not forced to permit installs from files recently? Or is that still in the process of being appealed?
flying_sheep@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 153d
Alternative app marketplaces exist, but they still have to pay apple per install, every dev needs to be registered with apple, and so on.
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 153d
iPhone where most apps aren't even allowed to run in the background? Ok lmao.
Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works · -28 pts · 154d
To be fair, old people and less tech-savvy people would download apps from scammers giving them access to everything.
I think this is a reasonable middle ground.
Fuzzypyro@lemmy.world · 35 pts · 154d
Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 153d
I could not care less about the children lol.
ShellMonkey@piefed.socdojo.com · 22 pts · 154d
There's already a check where you have to allow an app to be installed from any source outside of the play store.
I even question sketchy looking apps from the Google shop, so forcing me to wait a day to load something is just going to be obnoxious as hell for no real gain.
They could instead allow people to enable a 'high security mode' to block things if the less savvy are a concern without forcing it on everyone else.
Willoughby@piefed.world · 15 pts · 154d
Quit drinking the kool aid.
Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works · 0 pts · 153d
I have to wait 24 hours and then do everything I do now. It's quite literally the best middle ground. Help prevent scams, be inconvenienced for 24 hours, once.
This isn't age verification. That one can die in a pit of flaming tar.
Willoughby@piefed.world · 3 pts · 153d
thanks for not taking more away, Google-senpaiii
ughhh
dRLY@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 153d
Being fair, I have to help people that didn't install from third-party stores or side-loading that get hit with apps that basically keep popping full screen ads and fake infection warnings. So many bad/scamy apps are in the official Play Store. It is possible that some of the spam apps somehow hide the prompts within some of the ads to enable installing from unknown sources in order to side-load more. But Google should be putting all the effort to stop users from using apks and third-party stores into getting their own house in order.