Google is bringing a contentious new reform to the way apps are installed on Android devices, set to take effect next year. The tech giant has long been known for offering users the freedom to customise their experience, something that distinguishes it from the walled gardens of Apple. However, that flexibility has slowly faded in the last few years, and the upcoming changes could perhaps be the biggest shift yet.
Google is now bringing in a developer verification programme under which all Android developers will have to be verified by Google in order to have their apps installed on “certified Android devices.” Notably, Google has already required all Play Store app developers to be verified in order to offer their apps on the platform since 2024, but the new change would force even third-party app developers to be registered with Google in order to offer their apps on Android devices.
The change will apply to all phones with Google Services pre-installed, but not to custom ROMs or some Chinese devices that come without Google services.
Google compares its verification programme to an ID check at the airport, where the company will be able to verify the identity of the developer, but will not review the content of their app.
The tech giant is also building a new Android Developer Console, where developers who distribute apps outside of the app store will have to register to complete their verification.
Google will begin testing the new system from October, while all developers will have access to the new Android console in March 2026. Google is planning to take the requirements live in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand in September 2026 and could then expand them globally in 2027.
Why is Google making this change?
Google claims that its internal data shows there is a 50 times more risk of malware from the sideloaded apps on the internet than from those installed from the Play Store. In order to curtail this risk, the company wants to identify the identity of all Android developers to make it harder for “malicious actors to quickly distribute another harmful app after we take the first one down.”
The company also states that since implementing similar protocols on the Play Store in 2023, it has seen a decline in bad actors exploiting anonymity to distribute malware, commit financial fraud and steal sensitive data.
“Bringing a similar process to Android more broadly will provide a consistent, common-sense baseline of developer accountability across the ecosystem,” Google claims in its blog post.
The underlying subtext behind the new rule changes could also be the recent ruling it lost in the Epic Games antitrust case. The company has said that it will appeal the ruling in the US Supreme Court, but it will have to make significant changes in the way apps are distributed on Android.
For instance, Google will now have to allow third-party app stores to be listed on the Play Store, and these new stores will also have access to all apps on Google’s Play Store. In this context, the new regulations may be a way for Google to retain control even as third-party app stores begin to go more mainstream.
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