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Google wants to help you keep the third-party apps secure
Android lets you install apps from other apps stores except the Play Store and Google is now giving you extra security for these apps.
Google makes it easy for Android users to install apps from third-party stores, in contrast to Apple, which has limited third-party app stores to specific regions. Nevertheless, users frequently need to manually upgrade these sideloaded apps to the most recent version because they do not appear in the Google Play Store.
This might soon change, though, since it appears like Google is developing a new update option for sideloaded apps, according to a recent APK analysis by Android Authority.
APK Teardown by Android Authority claims that the most recent Play Store version 42.0.18 has new upgrades that indicate the Play Store will now display an additional option for apps that are installed via third-party sources. With the use of this new “Update from Play” setting, you can update Play Store apps that you downloaded from other app stores.
This would be a pleasant improvement for Android smartphone users, giving them a sense of confidence regarding their app installations. Notably, it is currently unclear if updating an app that you have not yet downloaded from the Play Store will cause all upcoming updates to be released directly to the Play Store.
Sideloading of third-party apps is currently prohibited on Apple devices, with just a small number of users in the EU being allowed to utilise it. Google has also added a new capability that lets an app store alter ownership of apps you have downloaded.
Although it doesn’t stop users from installing updates from outside sources, you will see a pop-up notification advising that the specific program you are updating is installed from an alternate source.
Furthermore, Google included a feature in Android 14 that lets an app store determine who owns updates for downloaded programs. Users are warned via a pop-up warning that the program they are updating was downloaded from a different source and that updating it might alter the app’s functionality, even though it doesn’t stop them from installing updates from other app stores.
