A group of developers started the Keep Android Open petition in protest against a new measure by Google. The company wants to introduce mandatory central registration for everyone who develops apps or distributesapps for the Android platform from 2026 onwards .
According to the initiators, this restricts the freedom of developers and users. Google itself argues that the measure is necessary to improve the security of the ecosystem.
According to The Register, the petition was set up by software developer Marc Prud’hommeaux. He is a board member of the open-source platform F-Droid and founder of the alternative iOS app store App Fair. Prud’hommeaux published an open letter calling on regulators worldwide to investigate Google’s dominant position.
According to Prud’hommeaux and other signatories, the new registration requirement represents an unprecedented expansion of Google’s control over the Android ecosystem. They believe it threatens innovation, competition, privacy, and user freedom.
The measure, which Techzine wrote about in August, means that all apps on certified Android devices must come from a verified developer, even if they are distributed outside the Play Store. Developers must register via a new Android Developer Console and confirm their identity with personal details such as name, address, email, and phone number.
For developers who already publish through the Play Store, little will change, as verification has been mandatory there since 2023. According to Google, the new step is necessary to combat abuse and malware, especially in apps installed outside the Play Store.
Measure affects the open nature of Android
Opponents point out that this requirement undermines the open nature of Android. They fear that developers will no longer be able to share apps independently without prior approval from Google, and that users will become dependent on one company’s judgment about what they can install on their devices. Furthermore, the measure would hinder competition by weakening alternative distribution platforms such as F-Droid or commercial app stores.
The open letter further emphasizes that the registration requirement could have consequences for digital sovereignty and free software development. Prud’hommeaux says he is now in contact with regulators in the United States, Brazil, and Europe, who are scrutinizing Google’s plans.