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 ...

Google will require verified developers for Android sideloading from 2026, raising debates over security and user freedom.

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

Google plans to begin requiring developer verification for all sideloading of APK app files on Android - here's what that ...

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.