The Google Play Store will offer users the ability to update third-party apps installed on the Play Store, according to code from the latest Play Store version found by Android Authority.

According to Android Authority, 18 clues were found in Play Store version 42.0 that suggest users may see a new “Update from Play” option in Play Store listings for apps installed from third-party sources. This feature would allow users to download third-party app updates from the Google Play Store rather than the original source. It is not yet clear if and when this feature will be available to all users.

Sideloading in Play Store

It’s not new that Google allows its users to install third-party apps. Although this must always be done with caution (apps can contain malware, for example), Google still wants to keep this as an alternative way to download apps.

To further support app sideloading, Google is apparently working on a new “Update from Play” feature that will allow updates of external apps to be downloaded from the Play Store. The code discovered in the latest version 42.0 18 suggests that users may be presented with the option to update sideloaded apps via the Play Store.

“Update from Play”

In the screenshots below from Android Authority, you can see the “Update from Play” button in the top left, and in the right image, below the external app, you can see that updates are available to download from the Play Store.

The feature is currently only visible in the code of the latest version, so it is unclear if and when this feature will be available.