Android’s App Freedom Shrinks As Google Tightens Rules

For years, the Android vs. iOS debate has centered around one key argument: freedom of choice. Nothing highlighted this more than sideloading apps.

“But iOS is a walled garden. Apple controls what you can and can’t install on your hardware.” That’s the go-to line Android users have thrown around whenever the mobile platform wars heat up. Yet, one of the final distinctions between Android and iOS is slowly fading, with Google now aligning more closely with Apple’s strategy.

The feature in question is sideloading—installing apps from sources outside the Google Play Store. Historically, Google defended this as user freedom, but now the company is emphasizing security, echoing Apple’s long-held stance.

“Following recent attacks, including those targeting people’s financial data on their phones, we’ve worked to increase developer accountability to prevent abuse,” said Suzanne Frey, VP of Product, Trust and Growth for Android.

She added: “We’ve seen how malicious actors hide behind anonymity to harm users by impersonating developers and using their brand image to create convincing fake apps. The scale of this threat is significant: Our recent analysis found over 50 times more malware from internet-sideloaded s

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