In order to strengthen the security of Android users, Google plans to block applications that are a little too old, that is to say, those that no longer receive regular updates.
Google routinely asks app developers to update their apps to the latest versions of Android. Current Play Store guidelines require new apps to be at least Android 12, which is why Google recently removed hundreds of thousands of apps left behind on its store.
The problem is that these requirements only apply to apps available on the Google Play Store. Thus, it was always possible to download these applications outside the official store, and the latter even allowed redownloading of an application already installed before even if it no longer meets the minimum system requirements. Fortunately, that should change soon.
Android 14 will change the rules for downloading an application
9to5Google reports that Android 14 will begin to completely block apps that target older versions of Android. This change would prevent users from sideloading specific APK files and would also prevent app stores from installing those same apps.
By blocking these obsolete applications, Google obviously intends to curb the spread of malicious applications on Android, which are a real scourge for users. Recently, 35% of Android smartphones have found themselves at the mercy of hackers, so protecting users of newer devices is essential.
The developer responsible for this change notes that some malicious apps intentionally targeted older versions of Android to bypass certain protections applied only to newer apps. It is not uncommon to see malware hidden in certain applications, and these often total several million downloads.
For those who will still need to install older apps, this will still be possible, but the process will become much more complicated, preventing anyone from mistakenly installing a vulnerable app. You will therefore have to install it using a command line and a new “flag” to bypass the new restrictions. Google is expected to detail its plan at its upcoming annual Google I/O 2032 conference in the spring.
Source : 9To5Google