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Residents of countries and territories subject to US restrictions will not be able to verify their identity in Google's new system from September 30, as a result of which applications developed in these countries will not be able to be installed abroad in the usual way.

At the same time, in the FAQ section on the Android Developers website, Google writes that devices in restricted countries will not verify developer registration. Thus, developers will be able to distribute programs within their region without verifying their identity, but local users will lose Google's protection from malicious applications.

The question remains unanswered: will a developer from the restricted region be able to register and distribute the program in other countries?

The first stage will begin on September 30, 2026 in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The new verification rules will connect Google Play, HONOR App Market, OPPO App Market, Samsung Galaxy Store, Transsion Palm Store, vivo V-Appstore and Xiaomi GetApps. Google is going to extend the new verification rules to other online stores and installation methods in 2027.

The restrictions will affect certified smartphones and tablets running Android 7 or later. Google will deliver the new verification mechanism via Google Play services, so manufacturers won't have to release a full-fledged operating system update.

Opponents of the project believe that Google goes far beyond its own online store. An open letter against the new rules was signed by F-Droid, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Tor Project, Proton, Brave, AdGuard, and dozens of other organizations. The authors of the appeal fear that the new rules will give Google the opportunity to control independent online stores, open projects and programs that are distributed directly from developer sites.