Google used to do very little curation of the Play Store (or Android Market, if you go back far enough), but it has long ...

Google plans to start blocking users from sideloading unverified apps, in an attempt to improve the security of Android.

The open nature of Android is about see a big change, as Google looks to enforce its verification policy for all developers.

Google’s new sideloading rules tighten security but also potentially lock some eReaders out of the flexibility that sets them apart.

Currently, developers who create “sideloaded” Android apps are exempt from Google’s verification requirements.

It's the end of days for one of the main features that differentiated Android from iOS for so many years.

Google will require developer verification for all Android apps in 2026, making sideloading harder but aiming to curb fake, ...

Google will implement a new safety feature that would require developers to verify their identity if they want Android users ...

Google will soon require identification for developers outside the Play Store and will block sideloading of their apps if ...

From 2026, Google will require verified developer IDs for all Android apps, including sideloaded ones, to reduce malware and ...