Category: Android

Google has begun testing its Android developer verification system, adjusting prior plans to restrict installation of apps from manually downloaded APK files. The updated policy follows feedback from the developer and user communities. Advanced users who accept the associated security risks will retain the ability to install unverified applications directly on their devices. But the method might be far from convenience.

Google has updated its policy for distributing Android security patches and disclosing vulnerabilities. The change affects how and when patch details become available to the broader developer and user community.

F-Droid, the open-source Android app repository, announced it would cease to function in its current form if Google enforces mandatory registration of developers and applications. The organization urges users, regulators, and antitrust authorities to oppose measures that restrict the installation of third-party Android apps. Such restrictions, F-Droid states, undermine user freedom and jeopardize alternative app directories that prioritize user interests over commercial gain.

Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem Development at Google, confirmed at the Qualcomm Summit that efforts to merge Android and Chrome OS will deliver notable results to users by 2026. Android will serve as the foundational platform, with expanded capabilities tailored for laptops and PCs. Early bits of this convergence already appear in Android 15 and 16, which introduce desktop mode and optimizations for larger screens.

Google has announced new requirements for application installation on certified Android devices. Starting in 2025, only apps from developers who register with Google and verify their identity will be allowed on these devices.

The Android Canary branch has received an update enabling support for graphical Linux applications. It also changes the former Android Developer Preview program and targets early testing of upcoming Android features.

In a recent interview, Sameer Samat, Google’s president of Android ecosystem development, revealed the company’s intention to merge Chrome OS and Android into a single unified platform. Google wants to understand better how users interact with their devices, particularly laptops, and then build cross-device functionality based on real-world usage patterns.

Google has empowered the Gemini AI engine with the ability to interact with third-party applications such as WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone caller/dialer. The update enables this capability even on devices where such integrations were previously restricted.

Developers of CalyxOS, an Android firmware variant independent of Google services, have raised concerns over Google’s decision to exclude certain components related to Pixel device support from the Android 16 release in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository.

Meta and Yandex secretly tracked users and bypassed privacy tools like incognito mode and cookie-clearing features. They used a technique called session deanonymization on Android devices when users visited websites that used Yandex Metrica or Facebook Pixel analytics.