The “advanced flow” introduced by Google for installing certain Android apps now includes a mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. This change comes as Google plans to implement mandatory developer verification later in the year. Critics previously argued that Google’s move to prevent app installations from unverified developers stifled the openness of Android and hindered app sideloading.
Thankfully, the new advanced flow is a one-time setup, not required each time an app is sideloaded. However, the process necessitates a one-day waiting period. The procedure is detailed in a blog post by Matthew Forsythe, Android’s director of product management and app safety, who outlines the multi-step process:
1. **Enable developer mode in system settings**: This prevents accidental bypasses and protects against scams.
2. **Confirm you aren’t being coached**: A quick check ensures users aren’t being coerced into disabling security features.
3. **Restart your phone and reauthenticate**: This step blocks remote access from potential scammers.
4. **Come back after the protective waiting period and verify**: Users must wait one day before using biometric authentication or their device PIN to proceed.
5. **Install apps**: Once users understand the risks, they can install apps from unverified developers, with options for enabling for 7 days or indefinitely, albeit with warnings.
Forsythe describes this as a “high-friction” process designed to safeguard users from unsafe apps. The new procedure reflects Google’s stance that sideloading should primarily be available for “power users.”
Google’s developer verification requirement was first announced in August and requires developers to submit information such as their legal name, address, email, phone number, and government ID in some cases. This will eventually be enforced globally, starting with Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand in September. The advanced installation flow will become available in August, with mandatory registration soon after. Google is also planning other updates to Android, including launching a “Registered App Stores” program for third-party publishers outside the US while preparing to offer rival app stores within Google Play Store in the US under certain conditions.