TL;PhD
- Google is introducing new restrictions on sideloading apps in Android 13.
- Users will not be able to grant access to these apps.
- The idea is to stop apps from less legitimate sources from abusing the API and tricking users.
Android 13 will introduce new restrictions on sideloading apps. No, sideloading doesn’t disappear from Android phones. Google just wants to make sideloading apps safer so bad guys can’t abuse them and inject malware into your device.
According to senior technical editor Mishaal Rahman Esperstarting with Android 13, Google will not allow sideloaded apps to use the Accessibility API.
Many Play Store and third-party applications use the Accessibility API to provide useful functionality. For example, TalkBack, the Google screen reader included on Android devices, uses the Accessibility API to read on-screen content on behalf of people with vision problems.
However, the API can also be abused because it gives applications complete control over your device. If you’ve ever installed an app that uses the Accessibility API, you’ll notice a prompt warning you that the app will be granted the ability to “see and control the screen” and “see and perform actions” on your behalf.
Due to the powerful nature of the Accessibility API, Google has been cracking down on its use for years. The most recent example is the company changing its Play Store policy to restrict all call recording apps from accessing the API. In this case, Google says “Accessibility API is not designed to request remote call recording”. Developers must comply with Google’s policies by May 11.
However, Android 13’s limitations are a bit different. They do not target apps downloaded or sideloaded from legitimate sources such as the Google Play Store or F-Droid. They only affect APK files that users get from untrusted sources. This is because applications can disguise themselves as well-intentioned services and use the Accessibility API to steal confidential user data.
google tell Esper Android 13 may prevent users from granting accessibility permissions to sideloaded apps. After the restriction is applied, the service will be grayed out, and clicking will bring up a prompt: “For your safety, this setting is currently unavailable.” The system will determine during the installation process whether the app is from the app store or from another source.
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