Google is tightening the reins on Android app installations, bringing a sweeping change that will make sideloading far more complicated. 
Starting in 2026, the company will extend its developer verification requirement beyond the Play Store to cover all install methods – including third-party app stores and direct APK sideloading.
The system works like an ID check at an airport: Google won’t scan the contents of your apps, but it will demand proof of identity from developers before certified Android devices accept their software. Developers will need to register through the new Android Developer Console, verify their identities, and list the package names and keys tied to their apps.
Google’s justification is security. The company claims that sideloaded apps are more than 50 times more likely to carry malware than those from the Play Store. Since requiring verification on Play apps, fraud has already dropped noticeably. The goal now is to reduce risks from fake banking apps and other malicious copycats, which continue to plague the Android ecosystem.
The rollout begins with early testing in October, before full developer access arrives in March 2026. The first wave of adoption will launch in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand by September 2026, with global expansion expected from 2027 onward.
Still, the move is raising eyebrows. Critics argue this is less about safety and more about control, turning Android into an iOS-like walled garden. For years, Android’s openness – the freedom to sideload, modify, and experiment – has been its defining edge over Apple. Now many fear that spirit is fading, replaced with restrictions that edge closer to Apple’s Gatekeeper and Developer ID systems.
Whether you see this as a vital step for security or a heavy-handed lockdown, one thing is clear: the way Android users install apps is about to change forever.
2 comments
android was open once… now every year it’s more locked down. feels like ios jr tbh
garbage move… we dont need another iOS clone thx