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> In addition to the advanced flow we’re building free, limited distribution accounts for students and hobbyists. This allows you to share apps with a small gro

> In addition to the advanced flow we’re building free, limited distribution accounts for students and hobbyists. This allows you to share apps with a small group (up to 20 devices) without needing to provide a government-issued ID or pay a registration fee. I don't quite understand how those installs would be tracked. If I create a "hobbyist" account and share the apk, are the devices that install that app all reporting it to Google? To my knowledge, Google only does this through the optional Play Protect system, is that now no longer optional? I'd like to know if my computer is reporting every app I install up to Google.

kykat 7mo ago
You thought it wasn't reporting every app you install?
- gumby271 7mo ago
  I mean, I'm happy to be conspiratorial about it too, I give Google no benefit of the doubt, but outside of Play Protect I don't think they explicitly say "your phone is telling us every app you install." This new feature is them making that explicit.
  - Lammy 7mo ago
    How can you say “outside of Play Protect” when it comes enabled by default and hassles me to turn it back on every time I install an APK?
    - gumby271 7mo ago
      Really? I turned Play Protect off and have never been prompted to turn it back on, what phone do you have that does that?
      - Lammy 7mo ago
        It's this screen: https://support.google.com/googleplay/thread/230937718/annoying-play-protect-warning?hl=en https://support.google.com/googleplay/thread/230937718/annoy... (not several times per hour like this post says, but same UI) Pretty sure this is a Play Services thing, so I don't know that the phone model really matters. But regardless this is on a few different devices: my primary REDMAGIC 9S Pro (Android 15), Surface Duo 2 (Android 12), and my YONGNUO YN455 (Android 10).
kuschku 7mo ago
With this change, Android will not just send every app install to Google, but even require approval from Google before allowing app installs.
- gumby271 7mo ago
  Which I also don't like, but at least that can be done offline. The signature could be verified on device without sending everything to Google. If they have to track the 20 seats for the hobbyist accounts then they have to be tracking every single install
  - kuschku 7mo ago
    But they're not. They're actually sending each signature to Google and asking whether that's been verified anyway.
    - gumby271 7mo ago
      Really? So all app installs on Android 17+ will have to be done online?

kykat 7mo ago

You thought it wasn't reporting every app you install?

gumby271 7mo ago
I mean, I'm happy to be conspiratorial about it too, I give Google no benefit of the doubt, but outside of Play Protect I don't think they explicitly say "your phone is telling us every app you install." This new feature is them making that explicit.
- Lammy 7mo ago
  How can you say “outside of Play Protect” when it comes enabled by default and hassles me to turn it back on every time I install an APK?
  - gumby271 7mo ago
    Really? I turned Play Protect off and have never been prompted to turn it back on, what phone do you have that does that?
    - Lammy 7mo ago
      It's this screen: https://support.google.com/googleplay/thread/230937718/annoying-play-protect-warning?hl=en https://support.google.com/googleplay/thread/230937718/annoy... (not several times per hour like this post says, but same UI) Pretty sure this is a Play Services thing, so I don't know that the phone model really matters. But regardless this is on a few different devices: my primary REDMAGIC 9S Pro (Android 15), Surface Duo 2 (Android 12), and my YONGNUO YN455 (Android 10).

kuschku 7mo ago

With this change, Android will not just send every app install to Google, but even require approval from Google before allowing app installs.

gumby271 7mo ago
Which I also don't like, but at least that can be done offline. The signature could be verified on device without sending everything to Google. If they have to track the 20 seats for the hobbyist accounts then they have to be tracking every single install
- kuschku 7mo ago
  But they're not. They're actually sending each signature to Google and asking whether that's been verified anyway.
  - gumby271 7mo ago
    Really? So all app installs on Android 17+ will have to be done online?