GOOGLE could be shutting down a feature in its newest phones after it was revealed to be a secret backdoor for hackers.
The feature let Android users ‘sideload’ outdated apps on their device.
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It meant users could install outdated versions of apps.
But Google may be scrapping the feature with its upcoming Android 14.
The tech giant is planning to enforce stricter rules for apps, under new API limitations, that will block apps that don’t meet minimum requirements, according to onlookers.
The feature can often encourage the spread of malware.
While users may dislike an app’s latest update and continue to use an out-dated one instead, developers issue out new versions for a reason.
Aesthetic changes may accompany an update, but the main reason to update an app is usually to fix bugs and patch up security holes.
Google is upping its game against hackers and malware, as phone scams rise amid the cost of living crisis.
The increasing accessibility of AI bot’s like ChatGPT by criminal gangs has also sparked a fresh wave of new malicious code that can make its way onto devices.
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A kind of malicious code can be “easily be modified to encrypt someone’s machine completely without any user interaction” is currently circulating Android phones, according to experts.
API requirements also prevent developers from releasing apps that target older Android phones.
Google’s goal is largely to make sure users don’t unknowingly let malware into their devices.
But it also helps to make sure that apps work their best on the newest phones.
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