Overview
- Invitations have begun for developers who distribute exclusively outside Google Play to enroll through the new Android Developer Console.
- Google is building an advanced, coercion‑resistant sideloading flow that lets experienced users install apps from unverified developers after explicit risk acknowledgments.
- A dedicated account type for students and hobbyists is planned to enable limited‑device distribution without full identity verification.
- Google cites social‑engineering fraud, including scams in Southeast Asia that push users to sideload fake “verification apps” that intercept two‑factor codes, as the rationale for the policy.
- Broader enforcement timing, release details for the advanced flow and hobbyist accounts, and Play Console invite timing for Play developers have not been announced as Google gathers feedback.