Malware isn’t new on the Android scene. As many fight the problem with anti-virus apps, and only downloading apps from stores like Google Play or Amazon App Store. It appears Google maybe stepping up its defenses once again.
New code has been found in the Google Play software by Android Police that suggest Google Play will scan and warn you of any threats before installing. As well, the code reveals an option that will allow Google Play to scan all installed apps to make sure nothing has slipped by.
Anti-Malware Icons found in the APK
Many might remember that Google already has a “Bouncer” on Google Play’s Servers checking apps for viruses. However, many have complained that this layer of protection, while good, isn’t enough. As programmers can slip code into the application after installing, and even in some cases bypass the bouncer altogether. With the growing number of malware it’s hard to disagree. The phone-side protection should help wrap up virus issues and isolate them to just a few cases here and there.
This feature is rumored to be in the released sometime in 4.1.X. However, it was not seen in the newest update 4.1.2 that has been sent out to the Nexus 7 and currently being rolled out to the Galaxy Nexus GSM and Nexus S models. We might see this feature on October 29th when the Nexus 4 is rumored to be announced. The code also suggest that the feature will be included in the next API version. Meaning anyone stuck on an older version of Android and don’t receive OS upgrades could be left out of this new feature.
With the current state of anti-malware apps on the market, would you uninstall your anti-malware if you had this feature on your phone? Do you even use anti-malware apps? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to see our Top 10 Best Anti-Virus and Security Apps for Android.