By Zak Doffman
Publication Date: 2026-01-24 10:47:00
Android is now changing
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
We know it’s coming. Google has confirmed a game-changing Android upgrade that has triggered a major backlash from users. What we don’t know is how difficult it’s going to be to install new apps on your Android phone when it goes live.
We’re talking sideloading. Perhaps the feature above all others that sets Android apart from iPhone. Responding to the continuing tidal waves of malware, adware and permission abuse, Google is now clamping down. Starting this year and rolling out by region, only apps from verified developers will be available to users.
As Bitdefender points out, “social engineering attacks often focus on this direct attack vector: convince the victim that it’s a good idea to manually install an app. At the very least, it’s just an annoying app that serves full-screen ads. At the very worst, the victim installs a…
