Google is taking the stress out of sideloading apps on Android phones with a new feature rolling out to Google Play Store.

Back in 2021, Google introduced the app-sharing feature that tied into Quick Share, making it a breeze to shoot apps directly between Android phones. But, according to the fine print in the December Play Store update, this handy tool is now on its way out after three years of quietly doing its job.

The Google Play Store is home to many popular apps vital to your Android experience — so vital that they can sometimes be described as the beating heart of your new experience. Whether you own an app-centric device like a tablet or phone or a cloud-based machine like a Chromebook,

Google has made good on its warning that the Play Store would be removing the ability to share apps with other users.

You once could share apps directly from the Google Play Store, but the Store's most recent update canned this feature.

What a week for Play Store. Google has been busy with its delete button, with multiple threats sneaking their way inside Android’s best secured app vault. Not a good look. And all this has come hot on the tail of the latest warning that Android is under attack.

Google is rolling out a 'Pause Play Protect' feature, allowing users to temporarily disable malware scanning for sideloaded apps, aiming to reduce the repetitive warnings encountered during mass installations.