Android 15 may make it harder for sideloaded apps to get sensitive permissions

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.