Android is an open-source operating system, so in addition to the “blessed” version that Google distributes to major manufacturers, a million other varieties have blossomed. If your Android device is certified by Google, you’re allowed to distribute Google’s official Android apps (such as the Play Store, Maps, etc.) on it. If you’re not certified — common examples are Amazon’s Fire OS tablets and also most Chinese phones sold in China — you aren’t supposed to ship those apps. Technical users typically resort to sideloading Google’s apps if they want them, but there are also some less-reputable manufacturers that ship Google software without permission.
Well, here comes the crackdown.
Google is now checking the build date of your Android system image when you attempt to run Google apps. If you have an uncertified device and you’re running a version of the Android OS that was compiled after March 16th, 2018, Google apps won’t work. The Wild West of sideloading is over.
Thankfully, there’s a solution for custom ROM users who like to download a bespoke version of Android to match their specific tastes. You can now register your device with your Android ID to allow Google apps to run on a device. There’s a 100 device limit per user, which might cause trouble for highly prolific ROM testers, but it will hopefully be enough for most people.
It would be nice if this means Google will eventually make it easier to run its software on your custom Android version, instead of a crapshoot of forums and filesharing. And if Treble turns out to be everything it’s promised to be, the custom ROM life could get a whole lot safer and straightforward in the future.
What’s unclear is how this will impact people who want to run Play Store on their Fire OS tablet, or any other “uncertified” device running software from the manufacturer. What exactly qualifies as a “custom ROM”? We’ve reached out to Google for comment.
