“According to a newly posted code change, Android 14 is set to make API requirements stricter, entirely blocking the installation of outdated apps.”
Android 14 will refuse sideloaded APKs that target old API levels, with the bar rising over time to Android 6.0. Google sells it as malware protection. It also means an app nobody updated stops installing anywhere, Play Store or not, and the only way around it is a shell flag. Play Store rules now reach phones that never touch the Play Store.