The change coming with Android 14 will put restrictions on the apps that smartphone users can install on their devices, even if they sideload the software instead of installing it through the Play Store.
Google’s change should help stop the spread of malware that exploits exploits found in older versions of the Android operating system, although if you use the sideloader a lot, it can make it a bit harder to use non-Play Store apps.
The annual release of the latest version of Android – or the latest build of Apple’s iOS or Microsoft’s Windows operating system – isn’t just about new features that top Android smartphones can take advantage of. They also include new hidden security tools that make it harder for hackers to break into your device. Hackers will eventually find a way around the security, but by then Google will hopefully go well beyond Android 14 to a version of its operating system that is still unbroken.
However, finding bugs in old builds of the Android OS is not useless. Hackers can create apps specifically targeting these older versions of Google’s operating system and then exploit their flaws to bypass some of your smartphone’s security features if you install it on your device.
Fortunately, Google is able to prevent this by imposing restrictions on new and updated apps available on the Play Store. At this time, newly listed smartphone apps from the Play Store must be Android 12 or later (or Android 11 and later if built for WearOS) to be allowed on Google’s official app store.
Looks like a big update is coming to Android (via 9to5Google (opens in a new tab)) is that these app restrictions will no longer only apply to apps from the Play Store. Change in Android 14 code (opens in a new tab) means that users who want to install apps that are not available on the Play Store (for example, by sideloading APK files) will be blocked from working if the file is for a too old version of Android.
Initially, the change will block users from installing apps from the earliest versions of Android, but eventually sideloaders will not be able to install apps that support Android 5 or earlier. So if you like a non-Google Play Store app that was built on a very old version of Android, you can encourage the developer to update it before Android 14 rolls out.
That said, you’ll still be able to install the old app, just a few extra steps from command shell (opens in a new tab). While this certainly makes the process more tedious, it will likely greatly reduce the likelihood of someone accidentally loading 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 will block users from even later versions of Android. But in the fight against malware, this strategy seems like a great compromise that balances security with the freedom that has drawn many users to the platform.
If you don’t mind further limiting your downloads in search of a more secure operating system, you can opt for one of the best iPhones that are much harder to port apps to.