Android 15 may make it harder for sideloaded apps to get sensitive permissions
Android 15’s planned “enhanced confirmation” mode would make it harder for apps installed from APKs (outside official or registered app stores) to obtain powerful permissions like accessibility and notification access, aiming to curb malware and scam apps. Commenters are split between seeing this as a reasonable security measure and viewing it as another step toward a locked‑down, anti-competitive ecosystem that undermines user control, sideloading, and privacy-preserving alternatives such as Aurora Store or F-Droid.
Impact on Sideloading and Alternative Stores
- Change targets apps installed directly from APKs; apps via “app store” APIs can be exempt.
- Concern that only “trusted installers” on a Google-controlled allowlist avoid the new hurdles.
- Unclear which third‑party stores (e.g., F-Droid, Aurora) will be whitelisted; many expect privacy‑oriented stores to be excluded.
- Some note that manual per‑app overrides still exist but are buried and potentially subject to future removal or further friction.
Security, Scams, and Risk Justification
- Supporters argue devices now hold banking, 2FA, communications, and are prime targets; arbitrary code is too risky.
- Concrete examples: malware APKs sent via messaging in India, Singapore anti‑scam initiatives targeting sideloading.
- Others see this as incremental “walled garden” tightening that conveniently aligns with platform lock‑in and anti‑competition.
User Autonomy vs. Locked-Down “Appliances”
- Strong sentiment that users should retain final say over what runs and with what permissions, including fully unrestricted apps.
- Frustration that certain legitimate use cases are blocked, e.g., call recording and notification access for tools like Gadgetbridge.
- Broader worry that general‑purpose computers are being turned into locked “appliances” using permissions, signing, and allowlists.
Permissions Granularity and Dummy Data
- Desire for richer controls: dummy contacts/location, mock data instead of outright denial, per‑app internet access, per‑photo media access.
- Some note Android has internal “ignore/empty data” states and developer features (mock locations) but not exposed cleanly to normal users.
- Complaints that many apps simply refuse to work if permissions are limited, whereas the same vendors behave better on other platforms.
Freezing Apps, Background Services, and Battery
- Many want easy ways to “freeze” rarely-used apps to reduce attack surface and battery drain.
- Existing partial solutions cited: Focus Mode, “pause app,” OEM features, custom ROM tools, and third‑party utilities.
- Debate over whether typical users understand or can safely manage background services; disagreement on how much control is realistic.
Regulatory and DMA Angle
- Some argue the Digital Markets Act could apply if Google advantages its own store or services.
- Others counter that the feature merely adds friction, doesn’t ban sideloading, and may be DMA‑compatible depending on implementation.