Google is making big changes to the Play Store to enhance security and app quality. In recent months, Google has been rolling out iPhone-like features for Android, with Android 15 promising significant privacy and security updates. However, one area where Android still lags behind iPhone is app safety and security.
Despite efforts by Google, dangerous apps continue to pop up on the Play Store, putting users at risk. While Google Play Protect does a good job of keeping users safe, the threat is increasing. With the upcoming release of Android 15, Google is introducing live threat detection to quickly flag and remove abusive apps.
To address the issue of dangerous apps getting onto the Play Store, Google is planning a mass app deletion on August 31. The company will be updating its Spam and Minimum Functionality policy to ensure apps meet higher standards and provide quality functionality and content user experiences. This will target static apps with little functionality, such as text-only or PDF file apps, as well as apps that serve no real purpose.
Google is taking a proactive approach to improve app quality on the Play Store. While purging apps is not new for Google, this time feels different as popular apps with millions of installs may also be affected. Developers are being warned that apps must provide a stable and engaging user experience to remain on the Play Store.
In addition to the app purge, Google is implementing policy changes to enhance security on the Play Store. These changes include stricter rules on malware prevention, the removal of third-party code from providers known to distribute malware, and new measures to prevent spyware.
Developers have six weeks to ensure their apps comply with the new policies. Google is moving towards a more stringent approach to app quality and security, similar to Apple’s App Store. The days of sideloading apps from third-party stores are fading, with Play Store becoming more like the curated App Store.
So if you’re a fan of low-quality torches, horoscopes, PDF and QR-code readers, and quizzes, now might be the time to stock up before Google’s app purge takes effect.