Introduction:
Today, Google announced enhanced safeguards for Android app developers who upload their creations to the Google Play store. The modifications are part of Google’s more extensive initiatives to prevent dangerous and low-quality apps Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers from being downloaded and installed on users’ devices. Recently, a new real-time app scanning function was introduced by Google to help fight harmful apps.
According to the company today, new Android developers must test their app for at least two weeks before publishing it with a minimum of twenty users. It also intends to raise the amount of money it invests in the app review procedures, Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers although as these changes take effect, it may cause delays in approving a limited number of apps.
Google claims that developers using its testing tools have an average of three times as many app installs and user engagement. Of course, that may not be entirely the fault of Google’s tools; rather, it may be the result of the developers using those tools to test their apps before publishing. In other words, they’re creating applications of a higher caliber. However, Google has announced that app testing will now be required for developers who have just created Play Google Search Console accounts.
Google states that before releasing to production, new developers must test their apps with 20 people or more for at least two weeks, though they don’t give a specific timeline. The business thinks that by doing this, developers can find problems and bugs earlier on and get user input before launching their software. It states that the prerequisite will be available on the Play Console in the “next few days.”
In light of this, Google plans to enhance its investment in the app review process, traditionally considered less stringent than Apple‘s and relying more on automation than human assessment. Google aims to allocate additional time from its Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers review teams to thoroughly assess new apps, ensuring they adhere to policies and do not engage in deceptive practices within and outside the Play Store.
Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers:
Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers [Source of Image: Techcrunch.com]
This adjustment addresses a prevalent issue, particularly affecting the Indian app marketplaces. Predatory lending applications have been targeting financially vulnerable users and employing unscrupulous methods to compel borrowers to Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers repay debts. While Apple had to remove such apps from its App Store this summer, the impact is more pronounced on the Play Store due to Android’s wider usage in India.
In conjunction with the launch of Android 14, Google is also focusing on apps that request excessive permissions. This release enables developers to seek access to specific photos or videos rather than the entire user’s photo gallery, providing more precise control over permission requests.Google notes that due to these modifications, it might take more time to analyze “a small portion of apps,” such as those meant for younger users or those that call for “certain device permissions.”
Along with these modifications, the firm also stated today that developers would now be able to select the deadline by which they would like to achieve the more stringent verification requirements needed to publish on Google Play. According to Google, Google Play Tightens Up Rules for Android App Developers developers who fail to select a deadline by February 29, 2024, will have their deadline assigned.
It also mentioned that starting in 2024, Google will add a logo designating official government apps, giving consumers more details about whether apps function effectively on their devices and highlighting local and regional content in other ways.