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

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

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

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.

Instead of policing app content, Google is introducing a system that verifies the identity of developers before their apps ...

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

Google will restrict sideloading with developer verification. The move mirrors Apple's long-standing security approach. Android loses one of its last big differences from iOS. For years, one of the ...

Google is tightening the screws on Android security. From March 2026, developers who distribute apps outside the Play Store will need to verify their identity. That means no more anonymous APKs ...

SecurityWeek’s cybersecurity news roundup for August 29, 2025: Compilation of noteworthy stories that might have slipped ...

Google is also developing a new Android Developer Console specifically for Android developers who don't distribute their apps via Google Play, and there will be a separate console for student and ...

Google will require Android sideloading apps to use verified developers by 2026, aiming to cut malware but raising openness concerns.