Google Play Store

724 'Google Play Store' stories August 2012 - April 2019

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Before the unified Play branding, Google had the Android Market, Google Music, and Google eBookstore. Google decided to merge and rebrand its individual digital offerings into the Play Store in March of 2012.

The Play Store is now the default place to purchase apps, movies & television, music, books, and news subscriptions for all Android devices. The latter four offerings having their individual Android and iOS apps to watch, listen, and read purchased content. Most content can also be accessed through the web.

In April of 2016, the suite of icons were redesigned in a similar style to provide a consistent look across all devices and the web.

Android Q testing a Pixel ‘Google System Update’ via the Play Store

Abner Li Apr 15 2019 - 10:01 pm PT

Android Q Beta

Last week, we spotted references to “system updates” occurring via the Google Play Store. This feature — which specifically delivers a “Google System Update” — appears to be live as part of Android Q.

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Google looking to humanize its Android developer relations

Kyle Bradshaw Apr 15 2019 - 2:19 pm PT

Android Studio on Chrome OS

Over the years, Google’s Android and Google Play teams have not exactly gained the best reputation among Android developers. The company is now seeking to reshape this image with new developer relations policies going forward, including increased human interaction in the decision making process.

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This is the Play Store’s Google Material Theme redesign [Gallery]

Abner Li Apr 10 2019 - 10:29 pm PT

Play Store Google Material Theme

Notable Material Theme redesigns in recent weeks have included Gmail for Android and Google Drive. The next major one could be for the Play Store, with 9to5Google this evening successfully enabling a significant revamp for the app store with version 14.5.52.

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Future Android ‘system updates’ could be initiated from the Google Play Store [APK Insight]

Abner Li Apr 10 2019 - 8:45 pm PT

Google Play Store

For the past two years, Google has been working on Project Treble to help device manufacturers release OS updates in a more timely manner. The Android Beta Program last year showed the initiative in action with more OEMs debuting preview builds, while Essential was able to release Pie on the same day as the Pixels.

The next change to Android updates could be more user-facing, with an interface right in the Play Store instead of system settings.

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Google Play will prompt Europeans about browser, search engine ‘choice’ on Android

Abner Li Apr 3 2019 - 9:51 am PT

Android phones

Google last month announced that it would prompt European users about other web browsers and search engines available on Android to further comply with the continent’s antitrust ruling. Behind the scenes, this “choice” will be handled by the Google Play Store.

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An early look at rounded square Android app icons in the Google Play Store [APK Insight]

Abner Li Mar 25 2019 - 9:32 am PT

Play Store Android squircle icons

Earlier this month, Google announced that the Play Store on Android and Chrome OS would adopt rounded square app icons for a cleaner and more consistent experience. We can now provide an early look at this push for uniform shapes that is set for later this year.

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[Update: Again] Google promoting Play Store editorial stories, lists with app notifications

Abner Li Mar 23 2019 - 10:45 am PT

Google Play Store

Back in 2017, Google introduced the Editors’ Choice section of the Play Store as part of an editorial push to help with curation and discovery. In addition to quarterly Android Excellence lists, Google Play added stories and collections about apps. Google is now promoting this editorial content with notifications from the Play Store.

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Android dark

Managed Google Play for app deployment earns enterprise security, privacy certifications

Abner Li Mar 21 2019 - 10:08 am PT

Consumer applications and services often have to be certified for use in corporate environments. As part of Android’s push into the enterprise, managed Google Play for internal app deployment has now been certified to three security and privacy designations.

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Call of Duty Mobile Android and iOS

Call of Duty Mobile is bringing free-to-play FPS gaming to Android and iOS

Damien Wilde Mar 19 2019 - 5:41 am PT

Call of Duty Mobile will be Activision‘s latest attempt at expanding the massive FPS franchise once more on both Android and iOS.
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Google Play Store

Google requiring new rounded square app icons for the Play Store on Android & Chrome OS

Abner Li Mar 15 2019 - 10:39 am PT

Google Play Store

The Play Store is available on a variety of form factors, like phones, tablets, and Chromebooks. To make the browsing experience more consistent, Google Play is enforcing a new icon design specification in app listings.

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Google Play Store

Over 150 millions users have downloaded one of 200 SimBad adware infected Google Play Store apps

Damien Wilde Mar 14 2019 - 8:35 am PT

The Google Play Store has had its fair share of security issues. In this latest instance, the SimBad rogue adware was found by the Check Point research team to have infected over 200 now-gone apps on the Google Play Store (via Android Police).
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Google Play Store

Google Play has flagged 1 million Android apps for pre-release security issues in 5 years

Abner Li Feb 28 2019 - 10:00 am PT

One way Google ensures safety on the Play Store is by scanning apps that developers upload for common security vulnerabilities. Now five years old, Google is providing an update on the progress of the Application Security Improvement Program.

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New and updated apps in Google Play will need to support Android 9 Pie by the end of 2019

Abner Li Feb 21 2019 - 12:40 pm PT

Android 9 Pie Samsung Galaxy

Back in 2017, Google set out to improve Android apps by mandating they target a certain API level and take advantage of the newest platform features. With new and updated applications all targeting Android 8.0 as of November, Google is detailing the Pie support requirement set for later this year.

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Google widely rolls out Material Theme redesign of Play Store ‘Ratings and reviews’ on Android

Abner Li Feb 16 2019 - 5:23 pm PT

Google Play Store

For the past several weeks, Google has been testing a Play Store redesign of “Ratings and reviews.” Covering all app, movie, television show, book, and music listings, this revamp leverages the Google Material Theme and is now widely rolled out.

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Google Play Store Valentine's Day

Google Play Store celebrating Valentine’s Day w/ $1 off $3 apps and IAPs promo

Abner Li Feb 14 2019 - 10:35 am PT

In addition to a homepage Doodle and new ‘Love’ Playmoji for the Pixel, Google is celebrating Valentine’s Day with free Play Store credit for everybody. However, the usual terms and conditions are present.

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Google Play Store

Google Play Store replaces tiny overflow button with ‘tap & hold’ gesture

Abner Li Feb 12 2019 - 9:36 am PT

The overflow icon is a common UI convention that’s leveraged throughout Android to hide settings and other unimportant options. Google is now replacing it in the Play Store with a “tap & hold” gesture and bottom sheet menu.

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Android 9 Pie

G Suite basic mobile management now supports Android app management

Abner Li Feb 5 2019 - 9:31 am PT

Besides providing services like Gmail and Google Drive, G Suite allows administrators to control what apps users can and cannot install on work devices. These Play Store distribution features are now available as part of basic mobile management.

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Google Pixel 3 XL

Google again giving select Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL owners free Play Store credit

Abner Li Jan 18 2019 - 12:31 am PT

Last November, Google gave select Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL owners free Play Store credits. The company is now running another promotional round to users of the latest Made by Google phones.

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Google Play Store

Google details upcoming 64-bit requirement for Android apps on the Play Store

Abner Li Jan 15 2019 - 3:11 pm PT

In late 2017, Google began alerting Android app developers about a 64-bit support requirement for the Play Store. The policy comes into effect this August, and Google today is providing more details about the transition.

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Google removing Play Store apps that violate SMS, Call Log permission rules in coming weeks

Abner Li Jan 14 2019 - 5:21 pm PT

Google Play Store Android

In response to the Google+ privacy bug, the company announced Project Strobe to limit third-party access to user data. On Android, only default clients can request SMS or Call Log permissions, with Google today sharing that it will soon begin removing Play Store apps found in violation.

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Google Play Store

Google Play Store brings back one-time $.99 movie rental deal

Abner Li Dec 25 2018 - 11:36 pm PT

Over the weekend, the Play Store offered some users discounts on apps, games, and IAPs. The latest Google Play deal ends on Wednesday and brings back the ever popular $.99 movie rental.

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Google Play Store

Google offering personalized app discount to some Play Store users, but terms apply

Abner Li Dec 22 2018 - 12:30 pm PT

Last month, Google offered some Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL owners free Play Store credit. Google Play is now running a similar app discount that’s only available to certain users based on previous purchasing history. However, there is a rather high threshold for this deal in some cases.

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Google Play Store

Play Store’s machine learning based anti-spam system removes millions of reviews per week

Kyle Bradshaw Dec 17 2018 - 2:01 pm PT

The Play Store has a problem with spam, there’s no way around it. With causes ranging from apps that borderline beg users for reviews and companies that pay for fake reviews, it’s obvious something needed to be done. This year, Google has acknowledged all the spam and finally has begun to do something about it by creating a machine-learning-powered anti-spam system to remove fake reviews from the Play Store.

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You can now make donations on Android right from the Google Play Store

Abner Li Dec 12 2018 - 9:59 am PT

Google Play Store

The holidays are a time for giving to those in need, especially following recent natural disasters. Google has long made it easy to give from Search, but is now simplifying the process even further with donations on Android right from the Google Play Store.

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