GoKawiilTL;DR Google has announced that an OS verification feature is coming to Android 17.
This feature will tell you whether you’re running an official, Google-blessed Android version.
The company is also offering a public ledger so users can verify the legitimacy of Google’s Android apps.
Google has brought plenty of security improvements to Android over the years, such as theft protection and scam detection. However, the company is now bringing another noteworthy security feature to Android 17.
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Google has announced that it’s bringing an OS verification feature to Android 17. The company says it developed this feature in response to bad actors releasing modified versions of Android that look like the real deal.
“These malicious versions are created to deceive you by mimicking the official OS while secretly compromising the integrity of your device,” the company explains.
Supplied by Google
The company says Android OS verification will help you confirm that your device is indeed running an official, widely distributed Android build. A close look at an official screenshot (seen above) shows a menu displaying Play Protect status, bootloader status, and build number info. It also looks like you can verify your Android OS with another device, but Google didn’t reveal more details about this option.
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