The next version of Android may sometimes prevent you from externally installing old and outdated apps. 9to5Google has detected a code change that states that Android 14 will prevent users from installing apps that don’t target the minimum version of the operating system from outside the Play Store.This change will initially stop the installation of older software specifically, but Google plans to “gradually” upgrade the bottom line to require at least Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
This decision seems to have been taken to increase security and privacy. With this change, Google says it won’t be able to target older versions of Android to evade the security measures of crappy software developers in newer versions. Google currently requires apps in the Play Store to target at least Android 12. This paves the way for him to install legacy apps via the web or third-party stores. That’s what Google wants to prevent.
If there is an old application that you definitely want to run, this change will not prevent you completely. Enabling this drawback is left to the device manufacturers and you will still be able to install applications via a script. The new policy aims to prevent people from unwittingly installing malicious software. If you’re externally installing an old app on an Android 14 phone with this measure turned on, you’re probably already fully aware of what you’re doing and the risks.
Still, we can safely say that Google’s limitation of external uploading is tempting. The ability to install from outside the Play Store is one of the reasons why some people prefer an Android phone over an iPhone. However, we can say that Google’s limitation is not surprising. Android malicious software developers often, if not always, prefer to take advantage of the ability to install externally, as there are fewer restrictions than in the Play Store. Blocking outdated apps won’t put an end to nasty malware, but it will certainly improve the overall security of the platform.
