Click here to visit Original posting
While certainly not a panacea for its Android fragmentation issue, Google is planning to force Android developers to use newer app code in order for their apps to be accepted in its Play Store.
In a blog post this week, Google stated that it will make three changes to the Google Play Store, beginning next year with requiring developers to target more recent Android API levels for new and updated apps.
In early 2018, the Play Store will also begin adding a small amount of security metadata on top of each Android Application Package (APK) to further verify app authenticity. Unlike Apple, which has strict application policies for its App Store, Google has been far more lenient as to what developers can upload to its Play Store.