New rules for downloading apps on Android: what will change for smartphone users

Google is taking drastic measures to strengthen the security of the Android ecosystem. The company has introduced "developer verification requirements" for all applications on the platform, regardless of the source of distribution. Now every software creator will have to confirm their identity, even if their app is not hosted on the official Google Play Store.

The company says this will add an "important layer of accountability" and help protect millions of Android users from malware and financial fraud. Apps from unverified developers will no longer be able to be installed on certified Android devices - that is, all smartphones and tablets that come with the Play Store and Google Mobile Services pre-installed.

To pass verification, developers will have to use the new Android Developer Console - a simplified analogue of the Google Play Console. The procedure will require basic identity information: legal name, address, email and phone number. Organisations will additionally have to provide an official website and a D-U-N-S number.

Google has taken into account the interests of novice programmers and students, creating a separate type of account for them with simplified verification and without the mandatory $25 registration fee. Developers who already use Google Play Console will be able to apply their existing accounts to register apps distributed outside the official shop.

Key implementation milestones for the new requirements:

• October 2025 - early access programme for developers.

• March 2026 - opening up access to all developers.

• September 2026 - launch in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

• 2027 - global rollout for all users.

Once the new rules are in place, developers will still be able to distribute apps outside of the Play Store, but will become more responsible for the quality and security of their products. Some software creators who value privacy may be unhappy about having to share personal data with Google.

Android users will get an extra layer of protection. According to Google, the number of malicious apps from third-party sources is 50 times higher than the official app shop. This is a critical statistic, given that many users install software from APK files or alternative marketplaces.