F-Droid 2.0 Launches with Overhauled UI as Google Tightens Play Store Identity Rules
F-Droid released version 2.0 of its open-source Android app store on September 24, 2026, marking its biggest update in a decade after over a year of development and 14 test releases. The new version features a fully rebuilt interface using Kotlin Compose, improved search across descriptions and categories, and support for 17 game genres. A key usability improvement sees F-Droid adopt Android's pre-approval API, reducing the installation process to just one extra tap compared to the Play Store. Six days later, on September 30, 2026, Google activated mandatory developer identity verification for Android apps in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, with a global rollout planned for 2027. The F-Droid 2.0 release also underwent an independent security audit by the Open Technology Fund's Security Lab, with the team reporting all findings were addressed.
This is an AI-generated summary. ShortSingh links to the original source for the complete article.

Discussion (0)
Log in to join the discussion and vote.
Log in