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Search in Google Play Store broken as Android app results endlessly repeat

Just last week, some users encountered a bug on the Play Store that prevented them from seeing a developer’s full list of applications. Another similar bug has now emerged that results in duplicate Android app listings when searching.

We’ve managed to replicate this bug on devices running both Android Oreo and the Android P Developer Preview. This bug is also present in version 10.6.08 and 10.7.18 of the Play Store on mobile, as well as the website.

Searching for anything in the Play Store will result in duplicate and repeat app listings. In the case of a query for “Google,” after the 20th or so result, the same set of apps will begin appearing again. Meanwhile, with other terms like “Instagram,” the duplicate app listings begin after just half-a-dozen entries.

This is particularly problematic when searching for a more general term, like “water tracker.” Users will ever only see a limited set of results and not the full list of available apps on the Play Store that meet their query.

This is more of an issue than not being able to see all the apps from a developer. Unless users exactly know what app they are looking for, they will be relegated to what is initially ranked by Google.

Dylan contributed to this article


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

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