Last Updated: July 19, 2023, 6:04 PM IST
Android 14 will have this warning for uses
The next Android version looks to prevent threats caused by apps installed from third-party app stores.
Android 14 is working its way through the beta channel and will be released for the public in the coming months. We are getting a good idea about the features that the new Android version promises, and one of them is related to sideloading of apps, which is one of the biggest pluses of using an Android device.
Google will show a warning to users who download apps from different app stores, but the relieving part about this change is that Android won’t entirely stop you from using these third-party sourced apps on the phone. It will be just a warning, which the users can ignore, as per reports this week.
Google has talked about giving sideloaded apps more credibility, which means it wants to track where the apps are installed from and also whether it is safe to install the particular app on your phone. So with Android 14, the user will see a warning, adding another layer of friction before you decide to sideload the app. Google will reiterate the risks of sideloading apps, basically installing apps from any other app store than its own Play Store.
Google realises the threat of apps from unknown sources, which leaves the user and their device vulnerable. With Android 14, Google is trying to put a leash on this interoperability which is unlikely to please the open source advocates.
The company’s drastic changes come at a time when Apple could be forced to allow sideloading of apps on iOS. The new EU rules could make the iPhone maker support other app stores, which is not only going to put the iPhones at risk but also become a compromising situation for the platform as a whole.
Android 14 beta is getting closer to its full release, which should happen in the next few months, probably when the new Pixel 8 series is announced, expected around October this year.
