Google: “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.”
Thank god. I would’ve ditched Android for good if this went through, and while it sounds like it would be annoying for casual users to enable unverified apps, at least we can still install them.
If I’m going to lose the main things I like about Android, like customizing things and installing my own software. Then yeah I would actually jump ship to the alternative because the chips are faster, the battery life is better, and the software would effectively be on par.
The point is that the jump would no longer be from a somewhat open platform to a closed one. It would be a jump from a closed platform to another closed platform.