Google will hide outdated Android apps to improve security

Google will start hiding outdated apps on the Play Store in a bid to improve security.

With almost three million apps hosted on the Play Store, keeping Android’s three billion users protected is a gargantuan task.

Given the scale of the challenge, Google’s AI-powered security does an admirable job. However, Google’s system is far from perfect and software that poses a threat to users does slip through.

Sometimes the apps that slip past Google’s security...

7 April 2022 | Android

CAF report highlights developers’ plight from anti-competitive practices

A report from the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) highlights the difficulties that developers face due to anti-competitive practices.

CAF is an independent nonprofit with over 60 member companies that advocates for freedom of choice and fair competition across the app ecosystem. Epic Games, which has regularly made headlines for its court battles against Apple over alleged anti-competitive practices, is one of CAF’s founding members.

The industry group is currently...

1 February 2022 | Android

Google slashes its Play Store cut for more developers

Google has announced that it’s following the industry trend and slashing its cut of Play Store sales for more developers.

The previous 70/30 cut was once the industry standard for app stores but has faced increasing backlash over the years from both developers and regulators. Critics have long argued that the stores have abused their market position to take an unfair cut.

Epic Games was the first major player to disrupt the model with the launch of the Epic Store,...

25 October 2021 | Android

Google announces raft of Play Store security policy updates

Google has announced a number of changes to its Play Store security policies that will come into effect over the coming year.

Starting in September, a new section will be added to Google’s Enforcement policy that will mean inactive or otherwise abandoned developer accounts will be closed after one year of dormancy.

October will see various policies introduced on different dates.

On 15 October, the Device and Network Abuse policy will be clarified to prohibit...

30 July 2021 | Android

Apple and Google ‘hold data hostage’ with their platform rules, Senate told

During a hearing, US senators were told Apple and Google “hold data hostage” with their platform rules.

The two largest mobile platform-holders are under scrutiny from the Senate anti-trust committee and smaller companies such as Spotify, Tile, and Tinder-owner Match have been airing their grievances.

Kirsten Daru, Tile's General Counsel, said: "We welcome competition but it has to be fair competition and Apple's idea of competing is patently...

23 April 2021 | App Stores

Play Store’s AI security blocks almost one million policy-violating apps

Google’s AI-powered Play Store security has blocked almost one million policy-violating apps from reaching users.

In a blog post, Google detailed what it’s been doing to protect the billions of Android users and millions of developers creating apps for the world’s largest mobile platform.

2020 was a year when many of us made sacrifices to our freedoms to protect not just ourselves, but those around us. Unfortunately, criminals sought to take advantage of more...

22 April 2021 | Android

Bill enabling developers to avoid in-app purchase rules is ditched

A bill in Arizona that would have enabled developers to avoid the in-app purchase (IAP) rules set by app stores has been ditched.

Many developers have argued for some time that Apple and Google have abused their market dominance to set unfair rules. State bill HB2005 would have forced Apple and Google to allow developers to use their own payment solutions within apps.

The bill was scrapped after intense lobbying. 

According to State Representative Regina...

31 March 2021 | App Stores

Progressive Web Apps on Chrome OS will soon support in-app purchases

Google will soon enable support for in-app purchases in Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) on Chrome OS.

Mountain View has long been an advocate of PWAs—unsurprising, really, considering Google is the world’s largest web services company.

What is therefore surprising is how long it’s taken for Google to provide support for in-app purchases in PWAs on Chrome OS. Better late than never and all that, though.

Although Android apps are now supported on many...

10 December 2020 | Platforms

Google’s latest Play Store feature helps users compare apps

Your apps are about to be pitted directly against competitors.

A new feature coming to the Play Store will let users decide between apps using a side-by-side chart similar to comparing specs between devices.

Android Police first reported the feature and posted the following GIF showing the comparison table appearing below the reviews on an app’s page:

Presumably, there will be different comparison metrics dependent on the category of app. In this case –...

29 October 2020 | Android