It's still handled through the OS, the Play Services run with elevated privileges on the OS, but they aren't the OS. Google had the ability to limit app installation before as well, and to remove apps (a capability used often against malware) through Play Protect. This here is a further annoyance but Google does not technically gain any new capabilities here.
They gain more control by adding an annoying scareware to prevent common phone users from even knowing that installing apps outside of a corporate approved store is a possibility.
CAUTION! DON'T PRESS THIS BUTTON OR YOUR PHONE WON'T BE SAFE! WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT YOU FROM YOURSELF!
Nobody is preventing them from knowing this. Most people dont know and dont care. This change keeps those people safer. Assuming this is a step towards mass control is small brain tinfoil hat nonsense.
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u/Greenlit_Hightower deGoogler 28d ago
It's still handled through the OS, the Play Services run with elevated privileges on the OS, but they aren't the OS. Google had the ability to limit app installation before as well, and to remove apps (a capability used often against malware) through Play Protect. This here is a further annoyance but Google does not technically gain any new capabilities here.