The goal of the new requirement is to verify the identity of app developers and increase security. The company compares the new measures with ID checks at airports, saying it won’t look into the apps themselves.
Think of it like an ID check at the airport, which confirms a traveler’s identity but is separate from the security screening of their bags; we will be confirming who the developer is, not reviewing the content of their app or where it came from.
Google, August 2025
Google’s main target is “convincing fake apps”, like malicious apps that appear to be the official apps of a bank, for example. The company says it has found that sideloaded apps are over 50 times more likely to contain malware. Since implementing the same verification requirements for Google Play apps, Google says it has seen a noticeable drop in malware and fraud.
Developers will still be able to distribute their apps through sideloading or alternative app stores, but they’ll need to verify their identity through a new Android Developer Console. After verifying their identity, they’ll need to register the package names and keys of their apps before users with certified Android devices can install them.
Preview of the Android Development Console for sideloaded apps| Image credit — Google
Certified Android devices are all devices that have Google services on them. If your phone has a non-Google version of Android, those measures won’t apply. However, virtually all Android devices sold outside of China have Google services on them.
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