Google may be developing additional functionality for Play Protect – its cloud-based app-verification service that safeguards users against malicious apps, according to a report. The search giant is said to be working on a ‘Rescan’ option for apps that have been previously flagged as harmful, without uninstalling them from the devices. The feature was reportedly spotted during an APK teardown of the Google Play Store app on Android.
In a report, Android Authority, teaming up with tipster AssembleDebug, suggested that Google could bring a “Rescan” button that shows up after an app has been scanned by Play Protect. The feature was discovered following an APK teardown of the Google Play Store app version 41.9.17. However, it is reportedly still in development and isn’t available to users.
At present, whenever a user installs an app, it is screened by Google Play Protect for any potentially harmful behaviour. If it is flagged for violating the company’s Unwanted Software Policy, an alert is sent to the user along with an option to uninstall it.
With this purported option, Google is speculated to offer users another chance of rescanning the app in case it is wrongly labelled, before removing it from the device.
With Android 15, Google is also reportedly bringing a new ‘quarantine’ functionality to the Play Store. This feature may enable system apps — like Google Play Services or the Play Store – to isolate potentially harmful apps and apply restrictions on them.
Once an app has been quarantined, its capabilities are said to be severely limited, preventing it from negatively impacting the user’s device. It may not be allowed to show notifications and its activities will also be stopped.
The code referencing this feature was reportedly discovered in an Android 15 beta update but is yet to be enabled. It was spotted in the form of a “QUARANTINE_APPS” permission which, apps signed by the same certificate as Google, can be granted to.
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