Back in 2010 or so, when Android was still trying to establish itself as a worldwide mobile platform, I took a leap and bought a tiny, cheap Samsung Galaxy 5 (not S) to test the waters. I fell in love with the Android Market, the idea of home screen widgets, the powerful multitasking, but most of all, I fell in love with what Android represented: freedom, openness, and choice.Today, in 2026, countless phones and brands later, having tested thousands of apps and tricks, and written even more articles about the platform, the image that I have of Android is so different that I don’t recognize it anymore. The recent sideloading restrictions felt like the last dagger into my old and outdated vision of Android. Maybe I should let go of my nostalgia and embrace what this new Android is all about?