Google Starts Android Developer Verification Sept. 30 in 4 Countries as Sideloading Rules Tighten
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 19
Google Starts Android Developer Verification Sept. 30 in 4 Countries as Sideloading Rules Tighten
3 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 19
Summary
September 30 is the start date for Google’s Android developer verification rollout in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, the first markets targeted for stricter sideloading controls.
Google says the system is meant to curb scams that trick users into installing malware, and apps from unverified developers will no longer sideload on Google-certified Android devices once enforcement begins.
A $25 verification option has been open since March through Google’s new developer console, and the company says almost every Play Store app and a large majority of apps outside Google Play are already verified.
Trusted third-party app stores will also count toward the system, letting developers verified in participating storefronts be recognized by Google without repeating the process.
The move extends Google’s oversight beyond the Play Store, adding compliance work for outside developers as the company pushes toward broader verification requirements in 2027 and later.