F-Droid gets its biggest update in a decade with new UI and smoother app installs

keepandroidopen.org

Google says “power users” can “still install” unverified apps. Here’s what that actually looks like:

Delve into System Settings, find About Phone

Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode

Dismiss scare screens about coercion

Enter your PIN

Restart the device

Wait 24 hours

Come back, dismiss more scare screens

Pick “allow temporarily” (7 days) or “allow indefinitely”

Confirm, again, that you understand “the risks”

Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed.

I recently learned that this setting actually persist after migrating to another phone.

that would be only if you chose to backup and restore your android settings