Google is getting ready to remove lots of Android apps from the Play Store

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published July 19, 2024

Samsung Galaxy S23 showing Google Play Store — Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

Starting next month, Google will require apps on the Play Store to provide a “stable, engaging, responsive user experience.” If they don’t, the company plans to eventually remove those apps from the store.

This policy is part of Google’s latest spam policy update and is designed to eliminate apps with “limited functionality and content,” such as text-only apps and single wallpaper apps. The new rules take effect on Saturday, August 31.

Recommended Videos

According to the company, apps targeted for deletion fall into three broad categories:

Apps that are static without app-specific functionalities; for example, text-only or PDF file apps
Apps with very little content and that do not provide an engaging user experience; for example, single wallpaper apps
Apps that are designed to do nothing or have no function

Google is also better targeting apps with broken functionality. These include apps that install properly, but don’t load or aren’t responsive.

The company’s recent actions are part of its ongoing efforts to remove and restrict certain apps from Google Play. According to Android Authority, in 2023, the company prevented 2.28 million policy-violating apps from being published and rejected nearly 200,000 apps to enhance user protection.

Millions of Android-based devices are in the wild, and it’s nice to see Google running after useless or dangerous apps. Whether on a top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or a budget phone, inferior apps have no business on smart devices.

Google concludes that “apps should provide a stable, responsive, and engaging user experience. Apps that crash, do not have the basic degree of adequate utility as mobile apps, lack engaging content, or exhibit other behavior that is not consistent with a functional and engaging user experience are not allowed on Google Play.”

Topics

Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Mobile

Tired of downloading terrible apps? This Google Play Store update will help

A person holding an Android phone while on a bike. The display shows the Google Play Store.

The Google Play Store has an estimated 3.3 million apps available, but they most certainly are not all created equal. Some are no longer updated, some don't work the way they're meant to, and others are just plain terrible — but a new update to the Play Store could make finding the diamonds in the rough much easier.

This update is already live for some users, but it's still rolling out to others. When browsing the Play Store, warnings will appear just below the app information and provide a high-level overview of its performance. For example, it might warn that an app is frequently uninstalled, or the app might not get as much engagement compared to others, according to Android Authority.

Audio / Video

A native Android Apple TV app is now in the Google Play store

The Apple TV app on a Samsung Android phone.

It's been five years since the Apple TV app was launched, and we're now getting a version for Android devices -- built from the ground up for native Android integration -- in the Google Play store that will have the same Apple TV+ functionality as the Apple ecosystem version. The new app means users with Android OS 10 or later will finally have the ability to sign up for Apple TV+ on their Android-based phones and tablets to watch shows and movies like Severance, Silo, Killers of the Flower Moon, and CODA. There will be no difference in pricing on Android compared to Apple.

This should enable seamless interactivity across platforms for features such as Continue Watching -- which keeps track of where you are in a show or movie and allows you to pick up from that spot when you return, regardless of the device you watch on. Customer's Watchlist will be kept up to date across devices as well, and since purchases are linked to your Apple account, all the content you own will be accessible on any device with the new updated app. One thing missing at launch, though, will be the ability to cast Apple TV content from your Android device.

Mobile

Google’s Gemini is getting a lot smarter for iPhone users

Using Gemini Deep Research on a smartphone.

Google's Gemini AI just got a major buff for iPhone users with the addition of its Deep Research feature. Google first added this feature to Android devices, but it's dropping in a phased rollout to the iPhone. If you don't yet see this function, give it some time; at the time of writing, it hasn't hit our phones here at Digital Trends yet.

The Deep Research feature "uses advanced reasoning and long context capabilities to act as a research assistant, exploring complex topics and compiling reports on your behalf." This enables Gemini to do comprehensive, in-depth research on nearly any topic, but be warned: the process is not fast.

nproxy.org