Google Play

639 'Google Play' stories March 2012 - April 2015

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.

Google Wallet for Android updated w/ Maps integration & new transaction search tools

Chance Miller Apr 3 2015 - 1:56 pm PT

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Google announced today that it has started rolling out an update to Google Wallet on Android with a couple of notable new features. First off, Wallet on Android now packs Google Maps integration. With this integration, you can see exactly where you performed any given transaction on an embedded map. This feature, Google says, will make it easier to notice any sort of suspicious activity that occurs.

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Entire Metallica catalog now available on Google Play

Chance Miller Apr 2 2015 - 7:41 pm PT

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Heavy metal fans rejoice: the entire Metallica discography is now available for streaming on Google Play. Previously, thanks to harsh distribution agreements, none of the classic band’s catalog was available from Google. All of the albums are available for purchase at $9.49 each now, however, with individual tracks costing the standard $1.29.

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Skype 5.3 for Android adds updated UI w/ chat bubbles, animated emoticons & emoji support, more

Jordan Kahn Apr 2 2015 - 8:49 am PT

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Skype today released an update to its Android app, version 5.3, which introduces new features that bring the Android version more up-to-date with features recently released for iOS and desktop users.

Among the new features, Skype 5.3 for Android includes an updated UI with chat bubbles, which looks much like the Skype experience already on other platforms.

The update also includes large and animated emoticons, emoji support, and other performance and user experience enhancements.
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Google Play Edition Moto G now receiving Android 5.1 OTA update

Chance Miller Apr 1 2015 - 6:04 pm PT

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Google and Motorola this evening have started rolling out Android 5.1 to the Play Edition Moto G. The update carries the build number LMY47M and comes in at 171 MB. The update is rolling out now over-the-air, although as usual, it’s a staged rollout and could take a few days to hit your device (via Android Police).

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Google releases Player Analytics to give developers better in-app performance data

Chance Miller Mar 31 2015 - 1:29 pm PT

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Google today has officially released Play Games Player Analytics to developers. In a post on the Android Developers Blog, Google announced that these new tools will allow for game developers to better track in-game player behavior and improve in-app business tactics and performance.

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Facebook unveils platform to integrate third-party apps, customer support for businesses into Messenger

Jordan Kahn Mar 25 2015 - 10:51 am PT

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During its F8 Developer Conference today, Facebook announced a new Facebook Messenger Platform that will allow third-party apps to integrate with its popular Messenger app.
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OpenTable app now lets Android users pick up the bill

Jordan Kahn Mar 24 2015 - 11:39 am PT

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OpenTable announced today that it’s bringing its Pay with OpenTable feature to Android users allowing those booking reservations to also pay for meals using the app.

For participating restaurants, you’ll now be able to pay your check with a few taps inside the OpenTable app after adding your credit card.

“Millions of diners use our apps to discover and book the perfect table,” said Jocelyn Mangan, OpenTable Senior Vice President, Product Management. “We’re excited to provide Android users with a payment experience that is intuitive and integrated into the OpenTable app they know and love.”

The feature is only available in select cities and restaurants in the US, but OpenTable is always adding new additions to the list of supported locations.

The Pay with OpenTable feature is available through the latest version of the OpenTable app for Android on Google Play.

Instagram’s new photo collage ‘Layout’ app coming soon to Android

Jordan Kahn Mar 23 2015 - 10:28 am PT

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Instagram today released a new app called Layout that lets users easily stitch together multiple photos by automatically generating layouts to make a collage of sorts. The company said the app is coming soon to Android.
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Google really wants you to buy a Chromecast, latest freebie mix worth $80

Ben Lovejoy Mar 20 2015 - 4:47 am PT

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If you haven’t yet treated your TV to a Chromecast stick to stream content from your Android devices, Google would really like you to do so. The company has been playing with its mix of freebies again, with $80 worth on offer if you buy between today and 19th April.

Current offers include three-month trial subscriptions to Google Play Music, DramaFever and Sesame Street GO, as well as one month of Qelio Concerts and a free Play Movies rental thrown in – and you can even save a few bucks on Amazon at the moment …
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Latest Drive for Android update hints at automatic photo/video back-up and Chromecast support

Chance Miller Mar 6 2015 - 6:18 pm PT

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Google rolled out an update to the Drive Android app earlier this week, and as usual, what it touted in the change log wasn’t all that changed. Android Police has dug deeper into the APK update file and noticed some changes that hint at major new features coming to the app. First off, it appears that Google Drive will take over the task of backing up photos and videos for users, a responsibility that has been held by Google+ since its inception.

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Jennifer Lawrence’s film ‘Serena’ hits Google Play Store 3 weeks before US theatrical release

Chance Miller Mar 6 2015 - 8:39 am PT

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Just a day after offering deals on some of its most popular content, Google today has listed Jennifer Lawrence’s upcoming film ‘Serena’ on the Play Store. The film is not slated to hit theaters in the United States until March 27th, but eager Lawrence fans can rent it on the Play Store now for $9.99 in SD or $10.99 in HD.

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9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy Alpha 32GB $300, Samsung Qi charging pad $20, Google Play deals, more

Stephen Hall Mar 5 2015 - 10:47 am PT

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy ALPHA SM-G850A 32GB 4G LTE: $299 shipped (Reg. $400)

Samsung Mini Wireless Qi Charging Pad with LED Indicator: $20 shipped (Reg. $49)

Google Play deals: Download a free copy of the Transformers movie, Free download of Coldplay’s Ghost Stories album

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo2 wired and wireless on-ear headphones $50 off, deals from $150

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wireless iOS/Android Flash Drive $35 shipped (orig. $60)

Charge up to 5 iPhones, iPads and other USB devices at once in your car for $14 Prime shipped

Put a 128GB microSD card in your Android phone/tablet, GoPro, MacBook + more for $80 shipped

SanDisk’s groundbreaking microSD card will stuff an extra 200GB in your MacBook, GoPro, more

Small States Review – Bolt Briefcase from WaterField Designs is an ideal work and travel companion, $249 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Onkyo 4K Ultra HD 5.2 Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver w/ WiFi & Bluetooth $250 shipped (Reg. $300)

New! Download a free copy of the Transformers movie
New! Free download of Coldplay’s Ghost Stories album
New! Amazon free Android app of the day: Red Wrecker (Reg. $1)
New! iPhone 6 ultimate party case includes a bottle opener and flameless lighter for $10
New! Games/Apps: Tengami for iOS/Mac from $3 (Reg. up to $10), iOS freebies, more
New! Daily Deals: SanDisk 128GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive $30, much more
New! ZyXEL 1000Mbps AV2 Gigabit Powerline Starter Kit $63 shipped (Reg. $87+)
New! Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem (refurb) $58 shipped (orig. $90)
New! Treat yourself to sharper, better kitchen knives from Henckels and Wusthof for $20+

More deals still alive:

Groupon 10% off: Xbox One bundles $315, Lenmar iPhone battery case $18, more

PNY Turbo 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive: $70 shipped (Orig. $130)
Samsung N9000 Galaxy Note 3 32 GB unlocked GSM: $295 shipped (Reg. $500)
32GB unlocked Nvidia Shield 8″ Tablet w/ LTE + $30 B&H Gift Card: $399.99 shipped
Receive up to $100 off or Amazon credit w/ select Bose & HEOS by Denon products
Best Buy 2 Day Camera Sale: Canon Rebel T5 w/ lens kit $400, GoPro bundles, more
HDTVs: Samsung 48″ 1080p $545 (Reg. $670), 55″ LG 4K UHDTV $1,300 (Reg. $1,799)
Magazine subs from $5/yr: Wired, GQ, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, more
Download more than 300 hits from the 1960’s for $4
Free download: Transparent soundtrack featuring Bob Dylan, Neil Young, more
Sennheiser HD 439 over-ear headphones in black $40 shipped (orig. $100)
JLab Grab Bag – headphones, Bluetooth speakers, more: $7.50 shipped
Incase Maki Canvas Jacket for iPad 2/3/4 case $10 shipped (Reg. $40)
Google Play’s Birthday Sale includes $0.99 albums, $3 movies, discounted apps, more
Readdle’s wireless printing app Printer Pro goes free on iOS (Reg. $7)
Amazon Spring Break Fashion Sale: Reef Sandal $32, Oakley Sunglasses $72+, more
Audio-Technica Headphones: PRO700MK2 on-ears $128 (Reg. $170+), more
Pioneer’s SPH-DA120 adds Apple CarPlay to your car for $445 (Reg. $600)
Dr. Seuss Birthday Sale: up to 80% off more than 60 iOS book apps/collections
Mood-Light Your Home From Your Phone, Was $50 now $34

New products & more:

Aether’s Cone wireless speaker gains a couple new tricks, still looks beautiful

Sony’s new BSP60 voice-controlled smart Bluetooth speaker is a virtual assistant on wheels
Panasonic’s new Bluetooth smart air conditioner does more than just keep you cool
Best Buy cuts Gamers Club Unlocked to $30, 20% off new games and amiibo
ADATA found an ingenious home for a microSD card on its new microReader
senseFly’s eXom drone flies autonomously using sensors or iPad controls
Pansonic’s Nubo weatherproof, 4G-equipped monitoring camera is poised to slay Dropcam
NeatherRealm announces Mortal Kombat X hybrid card-battler for iOS and Android
Mad Catz brings console style controllers to Android devices with the L.Y.N.X.3

Android distribution data updated for March, Lollipop usage hits 3.3%

Chance Miller Mar 2 2015 - 4:53 pm PT

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Google this evening has updated its Android distribution data to reflect numbers collected during the past 7 days. Most notably, Android 5.0 saw an increase from 1.6 percent last month to 3.3 percent this time. Last month was the first time the latest version of the operating system gained enough usage to chart.

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Google’s Android and Chrome lead comments on Apple relationship, China, Google Play ads

Stephen Hall Feb 26 2015 - 8:30 am PT

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Google’s Sundar Pichai recently sat down with Forbes to talk about the Mountain View company’s ambitions in China, its relationship with Apple, and what its overall vision looks like. Some interesting quotes from Google’s Android and Chrome head have surfaced as a result, and among other comments, Pichai took a moment to respond to constant criticism from Apple that Google is in the business of monetizing its users. Pichai also touched on Google’s aspirations in China as well as the sponsored ad program it is testing in Google Play…

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Google ups free song storage limit to 50,000 songs on Google Play

Stephen Hall Feb 25 2015 - 10:21 am PT

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If you’re a user of Google Play Music, you probably know that you can store your own music on Google’s servers for streaming from your various devices, but now Google has announced that the amount of songs that you can store for free has been increased, up to 50,000 songs from 20,000. While many of Google’s competitors charge for this kind of service, Google has long offered the ability to store several thousand songs for free—and now they’re upping the limit.

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FTC fines apps that falsely claimed to detect melanoma using smartphone camera

Jordan Kahn Feb 24 2015 - 8:42 am PT

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The FTC is fining the creators of two different smartphone apps, both of which were previously available as paid apps on Google Play and the App Store, for falsely claiming to detect symptoms of melanoma. Most versions of the apps, MelApp and Mole Detective, have long been removed from sale, although a version of Mole Detective remains on Google Play for $4.99. Apple appears to have cracked down on similar apps somewhat that were available on its store as recently as early 2014, while some apps with similar claims continue to be available on Google Play.

The Federal Trade Commission has challenged marketers for deceptively claiming their mobile apps could detect symptoms of melanoma, even in its early stages. In two separate cases, marketers of MelApp and Mole Detective have agreed to settlements that bar them from continuing to make such unsupported claims. The agency is pursuing charges against two additional marketers of Mole Detective who did not agree to settle.

It’s not the first and it likely won’t be the last time app makers face scrutiny from government officials over health care claims as fitness becomes more of a focus on mobile devices and companion wearables. As recently as November, the FTC was said to be pressing Apple on how it plans to use sensitive health related data collected from its upcoming Apple Watch launching in April.

9to5Toys Last Call: 1st gen. Moto X (unlocked) $200, Google Play movies $5, 200GB OneDrive Storage free, more

Stephen Hall Feb 20 2015 - 11:44 am PT

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Brand new Motorola Moto X Developer Edition 32GB, 4.2 Verizon + unlocked for GSM carriers: $199.99 shipped (Reg. $350)

Google Play movies $5: Inception, The Butler, Napoleon Dynamite, much more

Confirmed! Stack these two Microsoft promos for 200GB of OneDrive storage for free

More new gear from today:

New! TP-LINK AV200 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit $21 shipped (Reg. $30+)
New! Four-pack WD 3TB Red NAS drives $400 shipped (orig. $800)
New! Daily Deals: Bluetooth sportbuds $70, iPad mini leather smart case: $29, more
New! Games/Apps: $50 PlayStation gift card for $40, iOS freebies, more
New! Google Play Movies from $3 – $5: A Million Ways to Die, Inception, many more
New! Rovio releases new matching puzzle game ‘Jolly Jam’ for iOS and Android

Now at Amazon! Brother Wi-Fi Duplex Laser Printer w/ AirPrint $70 shipped (orig. $140) http://t.co/2edr7sRNwA pic.twitter.com/aSVDBZy46q

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 20, 2015

More deals still alive:

Grab Lightroom 5 at a steep discount w/ free external storage
Brother Wireless Laser Printer w/ AirPrint & Duplex Printing $71 shipped (orig. $140)
SoundBlock Ultra Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker $30 Prime shipped (orig. $140)
VIZIO 50-inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz Full-Array LED Smart TV $698 in-store (Reg. $1,000)
iOttie Easy Flex 3 Car Mount for iPhone 6/6 Plus, more $12 shipped (Reg. $25)
Samsung 50-inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED HDTV $599 shipped (orig. $1,200)
Hunger Games: Catching Fire eBook free (Reg. $7), iTunes movie trilogy $30 (Reg. $55)
Patagonia jackets, shirts & accessories up to 50% off: Down Jacket $137 (Reg. $229), more
Microsoft Office 365 Personal ($70 value) FREE w/computer/iPad/tablet purchase
Audio-Technica Pro Headphones: ATH-M40X $79 (Reg. $139), ATH-M30X $55 (Reg. $99)
iPad deal roundup: iPad mini $200, iPad Air $339, iPad Air 2 $424, more
Mophie Juice Pack Helium for iPhone 5/5s (multiple colors) $35 shipped (orig. $80)
Quirky President’s Day Sale + extra 25% off: Metal Cordies cable keeper $3.75, more
Media: SNL 40th Anniv. free stream, discounted Blu-rays, $10 iTunes movies, more
Samsung 2TB M9T PlayStation 4/laptop storage $100 shipped (Reg. $120)
BJ’s 1-Year Inner Circle Membership + $25 Gift Card $35 (~$75 value)
TP-LINK Dual Band Wireless N600 Gigabit Router $47 shipped (Reg. $56+)
Free Google Play download of Jason Aldean’s latest album Old Boots, New Dirt
Amazon Fire TV streaming media player $34 w/ Sling TV subscription or $84 w/o
TDK TREK Micro Bluetooth/M Portable Weatherized Speaker: $25 shipped (orig. $60)
Acer 11.6″ Chromebook 2.16GHz/2GB RAM/16GB SSD $160 shipped (orig. $200)
RapidWeaver 6 Mega Bundle – themes, stacks, and plug-ins $80 ($673 value)
Canon Printer w/ AirPrint + Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop $70 (~$220 value), more
Mass Effect Infiltrator is IGN’s free iOS game of the month ($4.99 value)

New products & more:

Trendnet’s new 1200 AV2 MIMO equipped Powerline kit is now available
Ray’s 4.8-inch touch screen Super Remote takes TV watching out of the dark ages
Marshall’s Major II headphones with updated audio and same iconic style are now available
Kitchen Tech: Spherification lets you make your own caviar from fruit juice, more
Make awesome ice spheres, cubes, Death Stars, diamonds and more for only $10
Take your iPhone 6 Back to the Future with this highly detailed Delorean case
Truffol’s wood/aluminum USB chargers w/ protection power up to five devices
LEGO brings Jurassic world to life ahead of its summer release
Blub Uno USB desk clock uses 1950’s Nixie tubes to display time, temperature and more
Kitchen Tech: Catch up on 10 great food and drink tool columns!

Google Play Music for iOS updated w/ Material Design, first ever iPad version

Chance Miller Feb 17 2015 - 11:40 am PT

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Google this afternoon has begun rolling out a major update to the Play Music app on iOS. The update packs a handful of new features and enhancements, including a totally refreshed Material Design interface, and for the first time, an iPad optimized interface, as well.

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Skype 5.2 for Android lets you share photos with offline contacts, more

Jordan Kahn Feb 9 2015 - 10:28 am PT

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Skype is rolling out version 5.2 of its Android app today and with it comes the ability to share photos with offline contacts. Previously the app only let users share photos with contacts that were currently online.

Gone are the days when you and your contacts need to be online at the same time for you to share photos using Skype. With this update, you can now send photos to your Skype contacts at a time that’s convenient for you, regardless of your contacts’ online status. When they are back on Skype, photos you shared show up beautifully inline in the chat history, whether or not you’re online – allowing you to easily carry on the conversation.

The update adds other new features as well, including picture in picture view for smartphones and enhancements to chat load times, call quality, and more:

Picture in picture view is now supported on phones, too – letting you keep a video call going even when you navigate away to other applications
Chats load faster, especially when opened from a notification
Call quality improvements, especially in low bandwidth scenarios

The updated Skype app for Android, version 5.2, is rolling out on Google Play today.

Google testing a new virtual ‘Genius Bar’ for Google Play customer service

Stephen Hall Feb 7 2015 - 8:23 am PT

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Google has used its Hangouts technology in many ways over the last couple of years, and one big way was the introduction of a new service called “Helpouts” that lets people sell their expertise to others over video conferencing. Now, it looks like Google is bringing Hangouts to a new area: customer service on the Google Play store.

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PSA: check your Chromecast for a possible free $6 movie credit offer

Feb 6 2015 - 7:36 am PT

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For Valentine’s Day, Google is offering some Chromecast owners a $6 credit good towards any movie on Google Play. Don’t have a Chromecast yet? You can find a refurbished one at Groupon for $25. We’ve found the offer on our Chromecast players and heard similar reports from several readers, but there’s a chance that Google didn’t extend the promo to everyone. Fire up your Chromecast to see if you’re eligible.

If you’ve never redeemed offers from the Chromecast site before: First, make sure your Chromecast is plugged in and discoverable, then select it from the pull down menu and the offers listed below should appear on screen.

So once you’ve redeemed your free credit offer, take a look at the list of top movies and pick out something for you and your Valentine!

Legal:

Unless otherwise explicitly stated, offers are provided by third parties, and are not provided by Google. Offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions. Google is not responsible for the availability or the provision of any third-party offer or for conducting any third-party offer program. For questions about a specific offer, please contact the offering entity.

Google acquires Launchpad Toys, makes popular Toontastic kids app free

Stephen Hall Feb 4 2015 - 1:57 pm PT

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It appears that Google is about ready to jump into the kid-friendly mobile app space, as Launchpad toys has today announced that they’ve been acquired by the Mountain View company. Known for its Toontastic storytelling app for kids, the company is joining Google to “create even more amazing creativity tools for kids.”

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Rolling Stone magazine archives coming to Google Play Newsstand tomorrow, initially free

Ben Lovejoy Jan 29 2015 - 6:19 am PT

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Rolling Stone magazine is making some of its archived issues available in the Google Play Newsstand app, with three or four major stories from each issue available for free. The move is being made in partnership with Google as a means of promoting the app, reports Fast Company.

Google Play’s global head of marketing Brian Irving says he views the Rolling Stone partnership as a way to demonstrate the possibilities of Google Play’s Newsstand, which he argues is better suited for content discovery than Apple’s Newsstand, due to features like customizable themes and key word searches.

Gus Wenner, son of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, said there was enormous interest in archived stories when properly promoted …
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Google Play Store saw 60% more downloads than iOS App Store, though Apple made more money

Ben Lovejoy Jan 28 2015 - 7:34 am PT

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Android apps from the Google Play Store were 60% higher than those from the iOS App Store, reports mobile analytics firm App Annie in its 2014 retrospective. Total Android downloads will be higher when other app stores are figured in.

Recent data from AppFigures also showed that the Play Store now has more apps and more developers than iOS. iOS apps did, though, make more money, the data showing that Apple’s app downloads generated around 70% more revenue.

App Annie’s data, which is generated by analytics from more than 700,000 apps, showed that just three countries generated more app revenue than the rest of the world combined–the USA, Japan and Korea–while the so-called BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, China and India) were not surprisingly the fastest-growing regions.