Google to verify developer IDs for apps on certified Android devices

Google will require identity verification for every Android app developer whose apps are to be installed on certified Android devices, a move intended to curb malware distributed outside the Play Store and scheduled to begin phased rollouts next year. Google said on Monday that developers who distribute apps through third party stores or direct downloads will need verified accounts before their apps will install on devices that ship with Google Mobile Services, with early access testing beginning in October 2025 and broader developer access in March 2026. The company plans mandatory enforcement in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand from September 2026 and aims to expand the requirement globally in 2027.

Google said the change will not ban sideloading but will require any app installed on a certified device to be associated with a verified developer identity. The company described the step as being "like an ID check at the airport" and said the verification will target developer identities rather than the content or functionality of apps. Google cited internal analysis showing sideloaded apps contain more than 50 times the malware found in apps obtained through the Play...