Here is a table I just made (edit: changed to list as HN wraps code blocks now), of iOS vs Android (now) vs Android (after Sep 2026 or 2027 or whenever these announced changes take effect):
•1. Where most users can install software from:
↠↠ iOS: official store (App Store) + (in EU) other stores
↠↠ Android (now): official store (Play Store), other stores (e.g. F-Droid), arbitrary APKs
↠↠ Android (after changes): official store (Play Store), other stores (e.g. F-Droid), arbitrary APKs
•2. Who the developers of software can be:
↠↠ iOS: registered developers ($99/year)
↠↠ Android (now): any developer
↠↠ Android (after changes): registered developers ($25 one-time) + hobbyists (small distribution) + any developers (for advanced users)
•3. Installing your own apps on your own phone, without becoming a registered developer:
↠↠ iOS: using XCode: need to reinstall every 7 days.
↠↠ Android (now): using ADB
↠↠ Android (after changes): using ADB
The second row (•2) is what is changing in Android. I think "the ability to run my own code on my own device", narrowly speaking, is closest to the third row, which is not changing.
Android does indeed still look better. But, I would not consider having to send a copy of my government ID to Google, or having them be able to block apps when so ordered by government, to be acceptable.
I agree it’s not acceptable. so then iOS is just as not acceptable as it has all the same issues and worse. this thread started as switching to iOS
Yeah but the situation used to be you don't need to jump through flaming hoops on android and you do need to jump through flaming hoops on ios for installing. Now it's you have to jump through X flaming hoops on android and X+Y on ios for installing. If I'm not going to jump through flaming hoops then I'm not installing so it doesn't matter what Y is in the equation and I'm not taking into account installing when comparing those devices, which mean ios might be a better proposition.
Alternatively if the difficulty of moving from 0->X is not negligible but moving from X->X+Y is then I may still be installing but I'm not considering the Y in the comparison then either. i.e. If I have to show my id to google once and apple twice it's the initial showing that is the turn off, or if it's the action of getting my credit card out in the 1st place rather than the cost difference that concerns me.
Comment about point 2: As a CEO who recently tried to make personal Android and iOS Dev accounts for my hobby apps on my +20 year old Google and Apple accounts, let me just say that the processes are alot more complicated to apply than is pointed out here.
The key difference being that when I needed help I called Apple Support who transfered me once to their EU Developer support who, while I talked to him, setup and approved my Dev account. While my Google account still is in pending limbo with their new verification system with no support to contact... I have since giving up getting access after multiple tries.
So Google changes do hit alot harder than the summery makes it seem.
Nitpick: It’s written Xcode. Lowercase c.