Google: Google once again seems to be adopting a strict stance regarding the security of Android users. According to reports, the company is working on a plan to add a new verification layer to the Play Store, the purpose of which is to discourage sideloading of apps from third-party sources. Google has long wanted users to install apps only from the Play Store or marketplaces approved by it.
Clue of new feature found from code
According to the report of Android Authority, some new strings have been seen in the code of the latest version 49.7.20-29 of Play Store. These indicate that Google may now add an additional step while installing the app. In this step, Play Store will verify the identity of the app developer so that the user can be warned about the potential threat in advance.
No internet, no verification
It has been told in the report that an active internet connection will be necessary for this new verification process. If the user is not online, a message may appear from the Play Store that the developer cannot be verified due to lack of internet. This means that without network, verification of the app will not be possible at the moment.
Users will get the option, but with warnings
However, Google is not completely banning sideloading. It has also been made clear in the code that if users wish, they can choose the option of “install without verifying”. But before this, they will be shown a strict warning, which will tell them that installing an app from an unverified developer can put both the device and data at risk. This method is considered to be a little softer than the mandatory verification policy announced earlier.
What did Google say?
Matthew Forsythe, chief product explainer for developers at Google, clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that this is not a sideloading ban. According to him, advanced users will have the option to install without verification, but the entire process will be deliberately made a little difficult so that users can understand the risks.
Security is already available through Play Protect
The thing to note is that Play Store already has a security layer like Play Protect. If this feature is on, then the system stops the user from installing an app from an untrusted source. To bypass this, the user has to manually stop Play Protect by going to Settings.
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