Google I/O 2021 and Uncomfortable Questions
App bundles allow smaller apk sizes [0]:> Google Play uses your app bundle to generate and serve optimized APKs for each device configuration, so only the code and resources that are needed for a specific device are downloaded to run your app. You no longer have to build, sign, and manage multiple APKs to optimize support for different devices, and users get smaller, more-optimized downloads.But as all this logic sits on Google servers and might involve lots of signing of apks for a single app and version, Google has decided it needs your signing keys for that feature. Which is weird already because you could also think of a model where you provide Google not with the keys but a service where Google presents you an apk, and you sign it. Then you can inspect it retroactively and run scanners on it, if you want to. The keys stay yours and you would know what Google is up to with your application.If you have problems with giving Google your signing keys, you can just avoid this feature. But apparently there is the fear that Google wants to make the feature required. Which would give them ability to alter basically any app on the play store as they deem fit. Or they might in fact be forced by governments. Already now many providers like facebook take down public posts because a local government disliked a post. What if a govt told Google "please install this altered Signal app on this person's device"? And yes, Google apps already run as system app so they could already do something like that, but an implementation of that is way harder to make consistent among different vendors.[0]: https://developer.android.com/guide/app-bundle