Google is enhancing Android security by verifying all app developers' identities, not just those on the Play Store. This means apps without verification will stop working on most Android devices in the future. This move aims to reduce malware, which Google claims is 50 times more prevalent in apps downloaded outside the Play Store. While this increases security, it also means Google will have more control over app distribution, a move that may be seen as intrusive by some users and developers. Google will use a new Android Developer Console for verification, requiring developers to register their apps' package names and signing keys.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.