Google Will Verify Android Developers Distributing Apps Outside The Play Store

New verification rules will return effect successful definite regions adjacent year, earlier rolling retired globally.

Google is expanding information measures astir sideloading apps by removing anonymity for Android developers who administer extracurricular of nan Play Store. Starting successful September adjacent year, Google will require developers successful Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand to verify their identities successful bid for their apps to beryllium installed connected certified Android devices via nonstop downloads aliases third-party app stores. This request will past rotation retired globally successful “2027 and beyond.”

Under nan caller requirements, Android developers will request to supply Google pinch individual specifications for illustration their ineligible name, address, email, and telephone number, and whitethorn request to upload an charismatic authorities ID. Identity verification is already a request for Google Play, truthful this alteration mostly impacts developers who solely administer their apps extracurricular of nan Play Store.

“By making Android safer, we’re protecting nan unfastened situation that allows developers and users to confidently create and connect,” Google said successful its announcement. “Android’s caller developer verification is an other furniture of information that deters bad actors and makes it harder for them to dispersed harm.”

This update intends to forestall users who instal apps extracurricular of Google Play from falling unfortunate to malware and scams, making it harder for developers who merchandise malicious apps to return nether a caller othername erstwhile they get removed. Apple besides introduced similar developer requirements for nan EU App Store successful February to comply pinch nan Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online platforms to verify “traders” who administer products and services to consumers successful nan EU done their platform.

Android developer verification is mostly targeting commercialized developers, pinch Google saying that it’s “committed to keeping Android an unfastened platform” for student and hobbyist developers. Google is creating a abstracted Android developer console to facilitate this, which will spot restrictions connected nan number of apps and installs.

Google is inviting developers to sign up for early access to nan caller verification rules to thief “provide feedback and thief america style nan experience.” That could mean immoderate of nan caller requirements will alteration earlier they spell into effect, fixed nan first rollout is much than a twelvemonth away.