latest
Google System Updates for July 2023 improve app content discovery and much more
Google Wallet might also get pass sharing
Aside from rolling out the July 2023 Android security patches to the eligible Pixel devices earlier this month, Google has also refreshed its Google System Updates support page to highlight all the changes included in this month's release. The new update brings a handful of Google Play Store improvements, some system management related enhancements, updated device connectivity features, and more.
Play Store won't open, load, or download apps? Here's how to fix common Play Store app problems
Unable to load the Google Play Store or download your favorite apps? Try these fixes to get it up and running again.
The Google Play Store is a simple application that comes pre-installed on your Android phone. It lets you access a marketplace with millions of apps and games that you can download on your device with just a few taps. The app itself works reliably well for the most part, but there are times when it starts to go wonky. You may notice occasional hiccups during which the Play Store takes forever to download or even load listings. It's particularly annoying when you're trying to download something important, and it keeps loading or throws an error message.
Android's security has improved by leaps and bounds over the last 10 years: Here's how
Android was one described as a "toxic hellstew" of vulnerabilities, but that's no longer the case.
Nowadays, Android is one of the most used and secure operating systems on the planet, but it wasn't always like that. In fact, back in 2014, ZDNet famously called Android a "toxic hellstew" of vulnerabilities, which was then quoted by Tim Cook at that year's iPhone launch. Cook made a point to say that Android was so fragmented and updates were so slow to arrive that there was no way those poor people who "bought an Android phone, by mistake" could enjoy anywhere near the security of their iPhone-owning betters.
Google brings more ads to the Play Store with newly expanded layouts
You really can't be shocked by more ads, but this is getting close to crossing the line.
It's happened before, and it'll happen again, so it doesn't come as a complete surprise when we see new reports about Google adding more ads to its existing platforms and services. We saw at the top of the month Google experimenting with more ads in Gmail, placing them in once sacred places, and now we're seeing reports that Google is taking things up a notch with new ad placements in the Play Store. While you can't blame the company for trying to increase its revenue, especially during these times, sometimes the lines start to blur, making it harder to distinguish ads from real recommendations.
Google Play updates at I/O 2023 add AI-generated Play Store listings and security improvements
You might start seeing Google Play Store listings that are written by AI soon after Google's announcement of Play updates at I/O 2023.
Google announced a collection of new Play Store features on the developer side of the storefront at its I/O 2023 conference. The changes will affect how you find and install apps on the Google Play Store moving forward and confirm that app listing may be partially written by artificial intelligence. You also might see app listings curated for you specifically based on factors such as region and app usage. A few other security improvements protect the end user but also limit customization options. Though the updates weren't as flashy as the reveals of the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and the Pixel Fold, they'll bring quality-of-life shifts for Android users.
The 5 best developer features announced at Google I/O 2023
Google I/O brought a bunch of developer features, and these are some of our favorites.
Google I/O is underway, and it's a conference that, despite all of the hype, has often been primarily aimed at developers. The company will typically share its plans for the next year with developers, including changes coming to the Play Store or Android API updates. This year, the company unveiled some new generative AI technology, some changes with Flutter, and some new features in Firebase. These are five of the coolest things for developers that the company unveiled at Google I/O 2023.
Despite the best efforts of Google Play Protect, the Play Store is not as safe as it may appear
The Google Play Store is the one-stop shop for most Android apps, but you still have to be careful.
If you own an Android smartphone, then the place you go to get your apps is most likely the Google Play Store. It's the safest and most convenient, and you can generally rely on Google Play Protect to ensure that the apps you download are safe and won't harvest your data or take over your smartphone. However, that isn't quite the full picture.
Auto-archive will offload unused apps on Android, just like the iPhone
If you love to install apps but hate that it takes up space, auto-archive is going to be your best friend.
There's no set rule for how many apps you can have on a device, with internal storage being the only limiting factor at this point. But I'm sure we all know someone that has over 200 apps installed on their smartphones, and sometimes it makes you wonder, do you really need all those apps? This really isn't a big deal, especially if you have the storage space to accommodate this habit, but if you're a person that loves apps, but often finds themselves uninstalling them just to fit new ones, Google's 'auto-archive' feature is going to be for you.
Apps on the Play Store will soon have to offer an easy way to delete accounts
If an app lets you create an account, it will also have to let you easily delete it, too.
Google constantly changes guidance for developers to clarify the best practices they should be engaging in while also making the Android platform more user-friendly, too. A new change being introduced in the coming months will make it so that apps enabling users to create an account will also need to make it easier for the user to delete their account -- both online and in the app.
Google's new app sync feature makes it easier to download your favorite apps across Android devices
Although it's now just in testing, this could be big when released.
It looks like more convenience is on the way for Android users, as the Google Play Store has begun testing smartphone app synchronization. While this isn't a wide roll-out, we're getting a sneak peek at the feature, thanks to users posting their findings on social media. In short, if you're someone that uses multiple Android devices, you'll now be able to sync your apps across all supported Android devices, which now includes smartphones.
Google Play Games for PC will expand to countries in Europe with more games, too
Google Play Games for PC is getting even better.
Google has been working on an official way to play Android games on PC for quite a while now, with it first coming to fruition over a year ago in the form of a limited beta. The company then rolled out the Google Play Games desktop application in South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and it's designed for downloading and playing Android games from the Play Store. Now at the company's "Google for Games Developer Summit", the company announced a few upcoming improvements to the platform, including a wider Japanese and European release with more games to come, too.
Google Play system update for March 2023 includes new Wallet features, performance optimizations, and more
And a little something for loyalty card fans
Apart from monthly security patches for Pixel phones, Google also rolls out frequent Play system updates for Android devices. These releases aren't strictly once-a-month, though, and it turns out we did not have to wait very long at all for the next one this time. Matter of fact, March 2023's release note of Google System Updates went public a couple of days ago, but the initial list of changes was rather tiny. The company has now updated the changelog to highlight a few additional changes in the latest update.
Google's new Wear OS 3 guidelines look to improve visuals and functionality
Developers must adhere to the given deadline and requirements.
Google has come up with several improvements it's looking to have developers implement in all Wear OS 3 apps with the user in mind.
Google Play System update for February 2023 includes improvements for Nearby Share and more
Keep those changes coming
Another month, another round of Google Play System Updates. After rolling out the February 2023 Android security patches to Pixel devices, Google has now outlined the changes coming to the Play services and Play Store this month.
Google's Password Manager will soon let you add notes to passwords
The change will arrive with the January 2023 Play System update
Google shared some of the changes coming with the January 2023 Play System update earlier this month. At the time, the company detailed new developer features related to Android's Device Connectivity services and enhancements for the Play Games profile on its support page. It has now updated the page again to highlight a couple of additional changes, including a new feature for the Google Password Manager.
Google Play system update for January 2023 adds new developer features, Play Protect improvements, and more
Another round of changes
After rolling out the this month's Android security patches to the eligible Pixel smartphones last week, Google has now laid out some of what Android users across the globe can expect from the January 2023 Google Play system updates, including improvements to Play Protect.
Google Play introduces a new way to help kids make purchases
Children now have the option to share Purchase Requests with their guardians
While the Google Play Store already offers a feature that lets children make purchases on the platform, it requires guardians to set up a family payment method and share it with supervised accounts. Google is now introducing a new tool called Purchase Requests that circumvents this requirement.
Google's latest Play System update improves Find My Device support and much more
Google's revised changelog for the December Play System update adds automatic app archival, improved Find My Device support, and more.
Earlier in the month, Google published a changelog for the Google Play System update for December 2022. We reported some of the changes then but also mentioned that it was just a partial changelog. Today, Google has updated it once again, giving us a better look at all the changes and additions being added.
Google Wallet preps state ID & driver's license support with December 2022 Play System Update
The update also brings Cast and Nearby Share improvements
Although Google positioned its revamped Google Wallet app as a one-stop solution to help users store everything from payment cards to digital IDs, it did not offer support for government IDs and driver's licenses at launch. At the time, the company said that digital ID and driver's license support would make it to the app sometime later this year, and it seems like that time is finally here.
Google Play's Best of 2022: Here are the top Android apps and games of the year
BeReal, Breathwrk, Papers, Please, and Dislyte are definitely worth checking out
Developers submit thousands of apps and games on the Play Store each year. Google commemorates a handful of these submissions with its annual Best of Play awards in December. The awards span various categories and even include a Users' Choice award, for which Google takes votes around a month before announcing the winners. The company kicked off voting early in November this year, and we finally have all the results.