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A change coming with Android 14 will place restrictions on the apps that smartphone users can install on their devices, even if they sideload software instead of installing it through the Play Store.
Google’s change should help stop the spread of malware that exploits exploits in older builds of the Android operating system, but if you’re a frequent sideloader, it might make it a bit more difficult to use non-Play Store apps .
The annual release of the latest Android version – whether Apple’s latest iOS build or Microsoft’s Windows OS – doesn’t just bring new features for the best Android smartphones to take advantage of. They also contain new hidden security tools that make it difficult for hackers to break into your device. Eventually hackers will find their way through the protections, but by then Google will hopefully have moved well beyond even Android 14 to a version of its operating system that still hasn’t been cracked.
However, it is not useless to find bugs in old Android OS builds. Hackers can create apps that specifically target these older versions of Google’s operating system, then exploit their flaws to bypass some of the protection on your smartphone if you install them on your device.
Fortunately, Google can stop much of this by imposing restrictions on new and updated apps available through the Play Store. Currently, newly listed Play Store smartphone apps must target Android 12 or later (or Android 11 and later if built for WearOS) to access Google’s official app store.
The big update seemingly coming to Android (via 9to5Google (opens in new tab)) is that these app restrictions will no longer be limited to Play Store apps. A change in The code of Android 14 (opens in new tab) means that users who want to install apps that are not available from the Play Store (such as by sideloading APK files) will be blocked from the action if the file targets an old version of Android.
Initially, the change will only prevent users from installing apps from the earliest builds of Android, but eventually sideloaders will be restricted from installing applications that support Android 5 or earlier. So if there’s a non-Google Play Store app you like that’s built on a very old version of Android, you might want to encourage the developer to give it an update before Android 14 rolls out.
That said, you can still install the old app, it just takes a few extra steps with one command shell (opens in new tab). While this certainly makes the process more cumbersome, it probably greatly reduces the chances of someone accidentally sideloading malware onto their hardware, as you’ll have to think twice before installing an app.
We expect that over time Google will introduce restrictions that lock users into even later builds of Android. But in the fight against malicious software, this strategy seems like a great middle ground that balances security with the freedom that has drawn many users to the platform.
If you don’t mind further limiting your downloads in the quest for a more secure operating system, you might want to get one of the best iPhones, which are much, much harder to sideload apps.