Google Play Store by Android 14, will begin fully blocking the installation of apps that target outdated versions of Android, in order to reduce the potential for malware…!!
Recently 9TO5Google has put afore the intention to use the most recent features and safety measures of the Android platform. While it just a month passed when recent guidelines were updated. A newly listed play store app is required to minimum target Android 12.
Android 14 new API guidelines for the Google Play Store
The API level requirements have only applied to apps that are intended for the Google Play Store. Developers can create an app for an older version by simply sideloading the APK file manually. Similarly, if an Android app hasn’t been updated since the guidelines changed, the Play Store will continue serving the app to those who have installed it once before.
Android 14 is set to make API requirements stricter, entirely blocking the installation of outdated apps as interrupted by newly posted code changes. This change would block users from sideloading specific APK files and also block app stores from installing those same apps.
At first, Android 14 devices will only block apps that target especially old Android versions. Over time though, the plan is to increase the threshold to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), with Google having a mechanism to “progressively ramp [it] up.” That said, it will likely still be up to each device maker to decide the threshold for outdated apps or whether to enable it at all.
If the minimum installable SDK version enforcement is enabled, block the install of apps. Which using a lower target SDK version than required. This helps improve security and privacy as malware can target older SDK versions to avoid enforcement of new API behavior
As said in the notes by the developer responsible for the change, informs that some malware apps have intentionally targeted older versions of Android. This is to bypass certain protections only enforced on newer apps.
Hope this content helps. Stay tuned for more information via @realmicentral…