Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
Google will restrict sideloading with developer verification.
The move mirrors Apple's long-standing security approach.
Android loses one of its last big differences from iOS.
For years, one of the biggest talking points in the Android vs. iOS debate has been freedom of choice -- and nothing summed that up more than sideloading.
"But iOS is a walled garden. Apple controls what you can and can't install on your hardware." If I had a dime for every time an Android user said this argument to settle which mobile platform is the best, I'd be lying in a pool of dimes as I type.
Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and greatly improve its performance)
One of the last major differences between Android and iOS is not dead, but it's definitely coming to an end, with Google deciding that Apple's way was the best all along.
... continue reading