Starting September 2026 only apps permitted by Google will be installable on Android, regardless of where the app is loaded from.
It will not be possible for users to install some apps that are not available from the Google Play store. Alternative app store sources may not work and nor will side-loading APK’s directly from a developer’s website. All apps will need to be registered by developers that have been verified by Google, even if they do not use Google Play services.
Due to this it is highly unlikely that Plant Base for Android will be allowed on new or recent Android devices once they are updated with the monitoring software. This begins with some countries in September, for full roll-out in 2027.
Campaign
This is a serious and disappointing move by Google, though not totally unexpected. Android was always supposed to be an open computing platform, in contrast to proprietary commercial environments such as Apple. But this will no longer be the case as Google takes over full control of device content. It is completely unreasonable to force developers who work outside of Google’s systems to sign-up for verification by them. In the long run, it is also bad for end users of smartphones and tablets. Freedom of choice is being removed.
A significant coalition of worldwide businesses and independent developers are opposing Google’s Android Developer Verification program. Read more information about it here – https://keepandroidopen.org
More about Plant Base
The Plant Base for Android app will almost certainly be blocked anyway! As some existing users may know, it was originally offered on Google Play but had to be withdrawn because it could not comply with new app requirements. The cause was simple, the Plant Base Android app needs to access the same large database as the desktop editions. The database is held in a separate, dedicated directory because it is impractical to store it within the app’s own confined area. Google does not allow this any more.
Plant Base has since been available for side-load installation, with the download APK from this website. The app does not compromise the Android system in any way, it is perfectly safe, secure and has no privacy concerns since it is an entirely “on board” application. Nothing is hidden and the end user has full control over the data directory. But the design does not fit with Google’s rules!
It is assumed that existing installs on older Android devices will not be affected.