Android 14 will block the installation of outdated apps

Google will make a notable change with Android 14, namely the impossibility of installing obsolete applications. The group wants to limit potential malware and therefore ensure that the applications are (relatively) up to date.

It’s been a while now that Google requires developers wanting to offer their applications on the Play Store to support a minimum version of Android. Since the beginning of the month, developers should aim for Android 12 at a minimum. But this rule does not apply to applications installed outside the Play Store (sideloading). This will change with Android 14.

Android 14 is set to make API requirements stricter, blocking the installation of outdated apps entirely. This change will prevent users from sideloading specific APKs and third-party app stores from installing those same apps, explains 9to5Google

Initially, devices running Android 14 will only block apps that target particularly old versions of Android. Over time, there are plans to increase this threshold to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with Google having a mechanism to gradually increase it. That said, it will likely be up to each smartphone manufacturer to decide on the threshold for outdated apps or to enable it altogether.

Google will present Android 14 this year. The first Developer Preview should not be long, that for Android 13 was released on February 10, 2022. We can therefore imagine that it will be more or less the same this year.