Android is the most popular mobile OS on the planet. Android isn’t just on phones. It’s also in cars, watches, TVs and, in the age of internet-connected everything, random devices like security cameras, fridges and routers.
New parts of Google Play Protect, according to Google, include the ability to manually scan already downloaded apps to check if they are still safe. This fights the problem of Android apps that install as benign and later download malicious components. It also addresses apps downloaded from third-party app stores that aren’t subject to Google’s automated malware scanner Verify Apps, part of the Google Play app store.