What you need to know
- The latest APK teardown of the Google Play Protect app has revealed a temporary pause button that could venture soon.
- Users who side-load apps and generally turn off Play Protect to do so can now have a temporary time frame.
- The upcoming feature would enable Play Protect feature after a day even if users disable it for side loading of apps.
Google Play Protect serves as a crucial guardian for Android devices, diligently working to thwart the installation of malicious applications. Recent findings from an APK teardown conducted by Android Authority have unveiled a promising enhancement that could bolster this security tool even further.
In their investigation of the Google Play Store app version 43.4.23-31, the team discovered an intriguing addition: a “Pause” button positioned conveniently beside the existing “Turn off” option. This new feature is poised to offer users greater flexibility, particularly those who frequently engage in side-loading third-party applications while remaining concerned about potential malware threats.
When users opt to pause Play Protect, the feature will temporarily halt scans for malware on apps sourced outside the Google Play ecosystem. Notably, it is designed to automatically reactivate the next day, providing a seamless transition back to security mode. While the current timeframe for this pause remains limited, the introduction of such an option is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
As this feature is still in the testing phase, its eventual rollout across all Android devices remains uncertain. There is a possibility that Google may choose to expand the pause duration or, conversely, decide against implementing it altogether. Regardless, the ability to pause Play Protect—even for a short spell—could present a risk to devices, as they remain vulnerable to malicious applications during that interval.
