Scheduled for rollout starting in September 2026, the program aims to restrict malware distribution by requiring developer ...

Android will block users from sideloading apps made by unverified developers next year, but we may have found a workaround.

Google wants to make sideloading safer on Android by verifiying the identities of developers who distribute apps outside the ...

From 2026, only verified developers can distribute Android apps, reshaping security and openness across the platform.

Google insists developers still retain freedom of distribution, whether via sideloading or rival app stores. The difference is that, soon, every app on certified Android devices will have to come from ...

Under the new requirements, developers must complete Google’s verification process to enable sideloading of their applications. The company presents this as a security measure, comparing it to ...

Android developer verification is largely targeting commercial developers, with Google saying that it’s “committed to keeping Android an open platform” for student and hobbyist developers. Google is ...

The Android device platform has long been more open than Apple's iOS and iPadOS platforms, with Google making it easier for ...

Android apps side-loaded from the internet often come from shady sources. Google will soon identify them and block those of ...

Android has implemented verification requirements on Google Play in 2023, and the team is working on a new Android Developer Console aimed at developers who only distribute outside of Google Play.

Google has announced significant changes to Android’s app sideloading functionality, implementing new developer verification requirements that will take effect in 2026. The initiative aims to enhance ...