Overview

• Starting next year in select countries, apps on Android‑certified devices will install only if they are digitally signed by a verified developer.
• Android chief Sameer Samat says sideloading remains fundamental, though unsigned or unverified apps will be blocked from installation.
• Google says its analysis found over 50 times more malware from internet‑sideloaded sources than from Google Play, framing the change as a safety measure.
• Certificates for bad actors can be revoked, which would disable their apps, and Google is building new consoles for non‑Play distribution plus student and hobbyist developers.
• Users and industry voices report swift pushback, warning of chilling effects on hobbyist projects and possible impacts on popular sideloaded tools such as Revanced.