As an open-source platform, Android has always been a lawless place when it comes to apps. While Apple requires app makers to meet strict standards before apps are published in the App Store, Android has been less so. Since its launch as the Android Market in 2008, the Google Play Store has been a laissez-faire haven where malware-infected, corrupted, or bait-and-switch software co-mingled with legitimate apps. With its latest update, Google is hoping to put an end to that.
Starting August 31, 2024, Google will update its spam and minimum functionality policies, raising the bar that apps must meet to be featured on the Play Store. But in the context of things, these are common sense changes that should have been made a long time ago. For example, “Apps should provide a stable, responsive, and engaging user experience.” They should also actually work and load after installation without crashing. What took you so long, Google? The bar is so low that only a cockroach could get through.
Other things Google is cracking down on include:
- Apps that do nothing or have no features
- Apps with very little content that do not provide a compelling user experience (e.g. wallpaper-only apps)
- Apps that won’t install
- Static apps with no app-specific functionality (such as text-only apps or PDF file apps)
Better late than never, we believe. Once the changes go live, we expect to see a significant reduction in the number of unnecessary apps, which should make your Play Store browsing experience much better and help you find the apps you need.
