Google has announced a timeline for mandatory Android developer verification, starting with supported app stores from major OEMs like Samsung and Xiaomi, and rolling out in phases from July to September 2026 in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, with global expansion planned for 2027.
<p>Almost 20 years ago, Google pitched Android as the more open alternative to Apple's walled garden. Last year, Google announced it would <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/">begin erecting its own walls</a> through developer verification. The company has issued an update on its plans, affirming that the verification system will begin rolling out in select countries later this year. We're also learning which app stores are participating in verification and the timeline for key features like the recently revealed "advanced flow" for bypassing verification.</p>
<p>Google has claimed that developer verification is a necessary change to smartphone software distribution, pointing to the increased prevalence of scams that trick Android users into installing malware apps. Google's solution requires verifying the identities of developers outside the Play Store just like it does for devs publishing on its platform. This has <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/with-developer-verification-googles-apple-envy-threatens-to-dismantle-androids-open-legacy/">proven to be a contentious change</a> for myriad reasons.</p>
<p>In the <a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/06/android-developer-verification.html">new blog post</a>, Google's Matthew Forsythe confirms that the developer verification system is slated to come online on September 30 of this year. The initial deployment will be limited to countries with a high level of app scams: Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/google-shares-updated-timeline-for-rolling-out-android-developer-verification/">Read full article</a></p>
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# Android verification is coming: Google confirms timeline and supported app stores
Source: [https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/google-shares-updated-timeline-for-rolling-out-android-developer-verification/](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/google-shares-updated-timeline-for-rolling-out-android-developer-verification/)
- Google \(Google Play\)
- Honor \(HONOR App Market\)
- OPlus \(OPPO App Market\)
- Samsung \(Galaxy Store\)
- Transsion \(Palm Store\)
- vivo \(V\-Appstore\)
- Xiaomi \(GetApps\)
Developers will also have access to new APIs to make registering as an external developer less arduous\. 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, too\.
## The countdown begins
The next step toward verifying apps will come this month as Google deploys 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 dormant until verification is activated in your specific region\.
[https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260604_Blog-in-line-asset-ADV-June.png](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260604_Blog-in-line-asset-ADV-June.png)[https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260604_Blog-in-line-asset-ADV-June.png](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260604_Blog-in-line-asset-ADV-June.png)[](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260604_Blog-in-line-asset-ADV-June.png)
Credit: Google
Credit: Google
In July, Google plans to roll out the new developer APIs and begin testing for “limited distribution” accounts\. This is Google’s solution for hobbyists who want to make their own apps and share them with a small group\. Limited accounts won’t require a fee or government ID verification, but you can install these apps on up to 20 devices\.
In August, the advanced flow will become available globally ahead of verification becoming mandatory in the first markets\. As[detailed a few months ago](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/google-details-new-24-hour-process-to-sideload-unverified-android-apps/), the advanced flow will allow users to bypass verification, but the process isn’t easy\. You’ll have to navigate to a buried menu, confirm you understand the risks multiple times, and wait a whole day before completing the process\.
And that brings us to September, when Android devices in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand will begin checking verification status before installing apps\. However, things get murky after that\. Google will undoubtedly monitor how verification works as millions of users are suddenly limited to verified apps, which could affect 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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