Don’t Risk It! Sundar Pichai Sounds Alarm on Sideloading Apps on Android

Sideloading apps has been a hot topic in recent weeks, with both Apple and Google participating. Although Apple is being forced to make a change, Android has always supported third-party apps and app stores.

However, it doesn’t seem like Google doesn’t want people to install apps from other app stores. Google is fighting a lawsuit against the Epic Store this month, and the company’s CEO Sundar Pichai testified in the case on November 14.

During his testimony, Pichai was asked about several things and decided to use the platform to share his company’s view on sideloading apps and why he advises people not to install apps this way on their Android phones. “We don’t want to let you completely compromise your phone. It can install malware on your phone. It can really compromise your security, very significantly,” Pichai said.

It’s interesting to hear Pichai say these things about sideloading, which Android as an open source platform has always supported. The fact that he’s talking about malware when installing apps from other app stores clearly suggests that the company is trying to play scare factor with the public. In fact, it has recently started the process of scanning side-loaded apps on Android through the Play Protect feature.

Many people have pointed out that Google has more say in the apps a person can install. The company claims that Play Store apps offer the best security for users, but a recent security report by Kaspersky highlighted how Google’s app store has been the platform that has seen 600 million malicious app downloads in 2023.

In addition to Pichai’s security, Apple has always opposed the ability to sideload apps because it cannot control how and from where these apps are installed on the iPhone.

Now Pichai is speaking in a similar vein to Tim Cook and Co., suggesting that both tech giants are aware of the 30 percent commission they receive from developers who host their apps on their own app stores. It’s no wonder that platforms like Epic Games have chosen to host their apps through a website instead of being available in app stores.