Android 14 is set to introduce stricter requirements for the API level, in an effort to reduce the risk of malware infiltration on the platform.
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According to recently published changes, Android 14 will begin to completely block the installation of apps designed for legacy versions of the operating system.
New Google Play Store Guidelines
Google Play Store guidelines have for years required Android developers to keep their apps up to date with the latest features and security measures of the Android platform. In January 2021, the rules were updated to ensure that apps recently added to the Play Store target at least Android 12. These minimum API level requirements only applied to apps targeting the Google Play Store, however, developers could still create apps for older versions of the OS by asking users to manually download the APK file. And, apps that have not been updated since the recommendations changed, the Play Store will continue to provide the app to those who have already installed it previously.
Block Outdated Apps
This new change will block users from downloading certain APKs and will also prevent app stores from installing the same apps. Initially, Android 14 devices will only block apps designed for very old versions of Android, however, over time it is planned to increase the threshold to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), while Google has a mechanism for "gradually increasing blocking." However, it will most likely be up to each device manufacturer to decide what threshold for legacy applications should be enabled, or enabled at all.
Security
The main motivation behind this change is to curb the spread of malware on Android. Some malicious apps deliberately target older versions of Android to bypass certain protections that only apply to newer apps. By blocking these outdated apps, Google intends to reduce the risk of users unknowingly installing malware on their devices.
It's important to note that if for any reason you want or need to install a legacy app, it will still be possible through a separate option. Given the extra steps required, it's unlikely that someone will do this by mistake and unintentionally install malware.