Sideloading is a hot topic in the mobile sphere, and Google recently made a huge change for how it works on Android. I think it’s a fantastic change, and I wish Google would have added the 24 hour delay for sideloading unverified apps years ago, but I’m glad they’ve finally done it.

The majority of people don’t actually need to sideload apps on Android

The squeaky wheel gets the grease

Credit: Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Maor_Winetrob / Shutterstock

If we’re being realistic, the average person doesn’t need to sideload an app. I’ve gone nearly a decade without even desiring to sideload an app on my iPhone, and even the past few years that I’ve had an Android device as a secondary system, I haven’t wanted to sideload an app on it.

The thing is, sideloading apps is a very niche topic in the world of Android—but the vocal minority love to scream about how big of an issue it is. I get it, being able to sideload is a nice feature, but it’s not actually a necessity for most people.

I have family members who have had Android devices for many, many years, and they’ve never sideloaded anything. I’ve talked to other people out and about and they don’t even know what sideloading is.

I feel like Google has listened to the vocal minority for far too long on sideloading, and I am very glad that they’re finally taking steps to make it a bit more difficult to sideload apps.

Sideloading is nice, but it’s typically not an urgent need

Waiting a day isn’t the end of the world in most non-developer cases

I’ll admit, I have definitely sideloaded apps many times. I used to do it all the time, and now it’s only on a very rare occasion. However, I can count on zero fingers how many times that need to sideload has been urgent.

The vast majority of sideload needs on Android also aren’t urgent. Maybe you want to play Fortnite and need to sideload the Epic Games Store—that can wait until tomorrow. Or, maybe you’re trying to load an older version of an app? That’s also not urgent.

With Google’s new 24-hour waiting period to sideload apps, the average consumer simply has to wait a day before they can sideload the app.

However, the 24-hour delay only applies to one specific segment of developers: unverified developers. If an APK comes from a verified developer, then it can still be sideloaded without waiting 24 hours. Also, if the APK is sideloaded via ADB on a computer, then it bypasses the 24-hour delay as well, meaning if you do have an urgent need to sideload an APK, then you can just do it over ADB.

Locking sideloadind behind a 24-hour delay will help more people then it hurts

It’ll stop hackers in their tracks when Grandma can’t sideload a cracked APK same-day

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So, why is Google even making this change? To help prevent people from being packed. In the past, hackers have distributed malware-riddled APKs to unsuspecting people to download and install. The tactics are varied, but the delivery mechanism is the same.

So, by Google making it so you can only sideload verified APKs by default, and you have to wait 24 hours to sideload an unverified APK, they aim to reduce the amount of scams.

Getting verified on the Play Store is cheap and easy—it only costs $25 and takes a few minutes to apply, then a day or two to be approved. I did it a few weeks ago and it was a simple process. Any real developer is going to take the time to get verified and properly sign their APK. If a verified developer distributes malware, they likely won’t be verified for long, meaning their APKs would fall under the 24 hour delay.

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Google isn’t taking away your ownership by making you wait 24 hours to sideload an unverified APK

I get the arguments that people are making that Google is taking over their device and not letting you use it as you want, but that’s simply not true. Google was very strategic with the sideload delay, making it only affect unverified developers. The fact that Google left ADB wide-open to sideload immediately goes to show that Google isn’t trying to reduce functionality or take over your device, but simply protect people from sideloading something that could harm their device.

I think it’s long overdue for Google to step up and take protective measures for its users, and I’m glad that they’re finally doing it. I also like the way in which they did it, not taking features away from people, but simply adding in a small hurdle that will make it more difficult for hackers to trick people into giving them access to their device.