Here's how Google corrects the problem of fake apps with a minor tweak | technology

On behalf of the installation of applications, many users download APK (Android PacKage) files from third-party platforms, potentially harming the phone and compromising security. This eventually caught the attention of Google who found a simple solution to the problem.

The company now adds a small string of metadata to the app's APKs, which will help Google make sure the app is genuine and downloaded to a phone without the official Play Store. Essentially, it's a kind of Digital Rights Management (DRM), a standard for restricting the use of copyright-protected content.

"In the future, for applications obtained through Play-approved distribution channels, we will be able to determine the authenticity of applications when a device is offline, to add them to the library." of a user and manage the updates. . This will give people more confidence when using Play-approved peer-to-peer sharing applications, "said Google on its developer's website.

This also benefits you as a developer because it provides a Play-approved offline distribution channel and, since the peer-to-peer shared application is added to your user's Play Library, your app will now be eligible for updates.

But security is only one aspect of the update. Google is also helping developers extend the reach of their apps.

"One of the reasons we're doing this is to help developers reach a wider audience, especially in countries where peer-to-peer application sharing is common because expensive data plans and limited connectivity ".

Bonus: What's an APK?

APK is the acronym for Android PacKage. It is essentially a file format used for the distribution and installation of mobile applications. APKs are APPX equivalents in Microsoft Windows or Deb packages in Ubuntu.