The topic of You won’t need to repeat Android’s sideload bypass when upgrading your phone is currently the subject of lively debate — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
Google finally announced its long-awaited “advanced flow” for enabling sideloading from unverified developers last week, set to roll out later this year to all Android phones. It addressed a lot of the concerns we had with the future of installing third-party APKs, but that’s not to say it delivered every answer under the sun. Thankfully, a new FAQ video is going a long way in filling in some of the gaps, including confirming you won’t need to repeat this process when you get a new phone.
The Android Developers account on Twitter shared a video FAQ hosted by Matthew Forsythe, Google’s “Chief Product Explainer” and the perfect person to help shine a little bit of light on this transition. There are plenty of interesting talking points here, but the big reveal is what happens when you move to a new phone. according to the data Forsythe, once you’ve enabled this advanced flow on your current Android device, it’ll be able to be transferred to your new device during setup.
Get the facts on Android developer verification. @matt_w_forsythe joins us to answer your top questions about sideloading. Watch the video for answers and to learn more. pic.twitter.com/N4d1plAglA
Now, this does leave us with some follow-up questions. What if you factory reset your current device? Is it able to detect — either at a hardware level or at an account level — that you’ve previously performed the steps to enable sideloading. Similarly, what if you’re flashing new ROMs on your phone? Is sideloading still enabled after flashing a fresh ROM, and can it be transferred despite not having two devices sitting right next to each other? Unfortunately, answers to both of those questions will have to wait for a potential second FAQ video in future.
With the phone upgrade and banking app questions answered — to my own personal satisfaction, and hopefully the broader Android audience’s — this change continues to look like a one-time minor inconvenience for those of us who rely on sideloading regularly. Fingers crossed those last few remaining questions surrounding ROM flashing and factory resets eventually get the same round of good news.
Why it matters
News like this often changes audience expectations and competitors’ plans.
When one player makes a move, others usually react — it is worth reading the event in context.
What to look out for next
The full picture will become clear in time, but the headline already shows the dynamics of the industry.
Further statements and user reactions will add to the story.