Google is increasing security measures around sideloading apps by removing anonymity for Android developers who distribute outside of the Play Store. Starting in September next year, Google will ...

Google will soon verify the identities of developers who distribute Android apps outside the Play Store. Developers must submit their information to a new Android Developer Console, increasing their ...

Google announced this week that it will add a new requirement for those who make Android apps and want them to work on Android devices that run Google services. The developers behind Android apps will ...

Google is changing how sideloading works on Android. Starting in 2026, only apps from verified developers will be allowed on certified Android devices. Developers distributing apps outside the Play ...

From September 2026, any developer who wants to distribute apps outside of the Play Store will need to complete a new identity verification process. This verification is done through the updated ...

Almost 20 years ago, Google pitched Android as the more open alternative to Apple’s walled garden. Last year, Google announced it would begin erecting its own walls through developer verification. The ...

Google announced its Android developer verification program last year to make app sideloading safer for Android users. And a few months ago, Google said that Android users would have to wait 24 hours ...

Suzanne Frey, Google’s VP of product, trust and growth for Android, explained the move in a blog post. She said it will slow down attackers who try to repackage malware again and again. “This creates ...

Scheduled for rollout starting in September 2026, the program aims to restrict malware distribution by requiring developer verification for apps installed on Android ...