Android 15 will block the installation of super old apps
One of the reasons why companies like Google release Developer Previews of upcoming updates is so that developers can prepare their apps to ensure compatibility. However, not all apps are always updated for compatibility. This is because maybe some of these apps have been abandoned by their developers, but come Android 15, it seems that Google will block older apps from being installed.
According to a report from Android Police, it looks like in Android 15, Google will block users from installing apps that were originally written for Android Marshmallow. This is done for security reasons. This is because over the years, Google has made improvements and changes to the security of Android. They have also patched certain flaws and vulnerabilities that might still be present in apps that haven’t been updated since.
This doesn’t mean that apps written for Android Marshmallow cannot be installed. As Mishaal Rahman notes in his post, users can still sideload apps on their Android 15 phones using ADB with a specific command. Users will be prompted with the Play Protect warning, but can still proceed with the installation anyway.
Chances are this won’t affect the majority of Android users out there, especially if you use a lot of mainstream apps that are constantly being updated. But for the minority of users who might still rely on these super old apps, this looks like it could be a workaround if you absolutely have to.