Google is tightening how Android apps get on your phone. Starting in 2026, only apps from verified developers will be allowed on certified Android devices. That change brings Android a step closer to Apple’s tightly controlled App Store model.
For years, Google marketed Android as the “open” alternative to Apple’s “walled garden.” Users could sideload apps or install them through third-party app stores without much friction. With the new policy, even sideloaded apps will have to clear a verification process, signaling a shift in how Google views security versus openness.
What the new policy means
The new rule will apply to devices that ship with Google apps and Play Protect, essentially covering the vast majority of Android phones sold worldwide. Google already required app verification on the Play Store starting in 2023, but now the restriction expands to all install methods. In practice, this closes many of the loopholes that allowed apps to bypass Google’s review process.
Google says this move combats malware and financial scams. By forcing developers to undergo verification, the company is betting that fewer malicious apps will reach users, even outside the Play Store.
The timing also highlights the contrast with Apple. Lawmakers in the EU and the US have pressed Apple to loosen its App Store rules, accusing it of anti-competitive practices. Google’s move points in the opposite direction: locking down Android further instead of opening it up.
While Google stops short of fully copying Apple’s model, the shift undermines one of Android’s long-standing selling points. Samsung and other partners once touted “open always wins” as a rallying cry. That slogan rings hollow now, as the platform takes cues from Apple’s stricter playbook.
