- Google (Google Play)
- Honor (Honor App Market)
- Oplus (Oppo App Market)
- Samsung (Galaxy Store)
- Transition (Palm Store)
- Vivo (V-Appstore)
- Xiaomi (GetApps)
Developers will also have access to new APIs to make registering as an external developer less difficult. In the coming months, Google will release an Android Developer ID Status API that will check if a package name is already registered with Google. The Android Developer Console API will let you register and manage your app package names without leaving your development environment.
countdown starts
The next step towards verifying apps will come this month as Google will deploy a new system service on most certified devices. The package (com.google.android.verifier) will appear on phones and tablets running Android 8 or higher, allowing Google to block the installation of unverified apps. It will remain inactive until verification is activated in your specific region.
In July, Google plans to roll out new developer APIs and begin testing for “limited distribution” accounts. This is Google’s solution for hobbyists who want to create their own apps and share them with a small group. Limited accounts won’t require any fees or government ID verification, but you can install these apps on up to 20 devices.
In August, Advanced Flow will become available globally before verification becomes mandatory in the first markets. As reported a few months ago, the advanced flow will allow users to bypass verification, but the process is not easy. You have to go through buried menus, confirm multiple times that you understand the risks, and wait a whole day before the procedure can be completed.
And that brings us to September, when Android devices in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand will start checking verification status before installing apps. However, after that things become suspicious. Google will undoubtedly be monitoring how verification works as millions of users are suddenly limited to verified apps, which could impact how it moves forward. Google says it intends to expand developer verification in 2027, eventually making it a global device policy.
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