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The Google Play Store is a dumpster fire and AI won't save it
The addition of AI recommendations to the Play Store won't fix how Google prioritizes its whims over user satisfaction
We recently reported that the Play Store was bringing AI to help you choose which apps it thinks you might like. It won't help the situation when the Play Store is a digital landfill overflowing with low-quality apps that are awash in review fraud, all the while Google is busy prioritizing its whims over user satisfaction. Adding AI recommendations is like putting lipstick on a pig. It's time Google cleaned up this mess.
Google Play Store gives this old trick another chance for speedier app updates
Say hello to simultaneous downloads once again
The Google Play Store is home to some of our favorite apps, and is every Android user’s go-to repository for safe app recommendations, downloads, and updates. However, downloading and installing app updates can take a while, making a strong case for switching on automatic updates in the Play Store and saving you effort. Google is now testing a way to reduce app update times through parallel downloading instead of the current sequential system, but it isn’t the first time we’ve seen such an effort.
5 things the Google Play Store desperately needs to improve
Ads galore, poor quality control, and fake reviews make up a few of Google's issues
One of the most vital apps on our Android devices is the Google Play Store. It's the beating heart of the Android ecosystem that serves as an open marketplace for applications and games, both good and bad. So you would think that such an important service would be kept in good standing with its users and developers, keeping devs and users happy and engaged, which makes the Play Store's decline even more glaring. Google has let the service slip into too many bad habits, from a lack of quality control to aggressive use of ads, making the user experience a nightmare as a result.
The Google Play Store dons a modern look with a new card-style context menu
Bottom sheets look sharp now
The Google Play Store is the default App Store on most OEM Android ROMs, including stock Android running on the company’s Pixel phones. However, it doesn’t usually abide by the latest Material You design guidelines. Although most Google Workspace apps are quick to adapt, the Play Store rarely features the latest design elements. Now, we’re seeing the Play Store app on Android adopt a new design for bottom sheets, hot on Google Maps’ heels, which picked up this change earlier this month.
Google Play Store may soon use AI to tell you which apps to install
Google is all about autogenerated AI content
Google has come far since its early days of experimenting with artificial intelligence, and it’s impacting everything from its apps to services. Whether you’re already using a Gemini product or deploying an AI feature in a Google app, it’s becoming harder to avoid the company’s AI technology. Now, the tech giant is experimenting with a new way to use AI in the Play Store.
How to install the Google Play Store on every Amazon Fire tablet
Get the apps you want on your brand-new device
Finding a good Android tablet is tough, especially if you're on a budget. Companies like Samsung and Lenovo do their best to convince would-be iPad buyers. Still, no one in tech can beat the bargains found in Amazon's Fire lineup. Amazon has updated its entire lineup of Fire tablets with improved performance since 2022, alongside introducing its premium Fire Max 11. But specs are only part of the equation. Without better software, these slates are as good as useless.
How to fix your Pixel phone's storage problems after installing the January 2024 update
Pixel owners are facing app crashes due to a flawed Google Play System update
It’s important to keep up with Google Play System updates for your Android device, and not just to make sure you have the latest features — Google often includes security enhancements and bug fixes to keep you protected from the latest threats. However, not all software updates come without flaws, and that’s exactly what Pixel owners are remembering after Google’s latest update. Due to a bug resulting in storage issues, some Pixel owners are experiencing app crashes, problems saving screenshots, and malfunctioning storage.
Interview: Google's new Play Store boss is focused on developers, not lawsuits
Android Police spoke to Sam Bright, VP and General Manager of Google Play, in his first public interview since taking the job in early 2023
You probably don't realize how many of your online experiences these days are curated by an algorithm, but it's likely more than you think. Every app that shows you a feed, from TikTok and Instagram to Spotify and Reddit — even Amazon and other shopping apps — curates your experience to the extent that it can, based on signals you've provided and ones from the wider network.
Surfing the internet is excellent on any nifty Chromebook thanks to Google's extremely lightweight, compact ChromeOS (operating system). The only downside to using ChromeOS is that Chromebooks can't download programs as easily compared to a Windows device. However, this problem gets patched using the Google Play Store — Android's number one source for games, apps, and add-ons.
RIP Beeper Mini: iMessage on Android app removed from the Play Store
The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long
We followed the development of Beeper's iMessage integration closely throughout 2023 because it represented the best chance we'd ever had of getting blue bubbles on Android — at least, it gave us more reason to hope than Nothing's failed Sunbird solution. But things quickly spiraled out of control when the company went public with Beeper Mini, a spinoff of the multi-platform messenger that brought iMessage to any Android user willing to pony up $2 a month. The saga went on for weeks throughout December, only to fizzle out after a game of cat and mouse between Beeper and Apple's developers ended with the former falling back on its pre-Mini method of forwarding messages through an iPhone or Mac. So it was clearly trending in this direction, but now, Beeper Mini is formally dead.
Google wants to see more gambling apps in the Play Store
India, Brazil, and Mexico are getting expanded support for 'real-money gaming,' with more territories to come
While it’s true that mobile games can be a fun way to pass the time, they can go well beyond that once real money is at stake. Any form of gambling can be habit-forming, which is why many governments have policies in place to regulate this kind of gaming. However, these regulations vary according to region, and not all countries have legislation that restricts gambling — even in the form of a mobile app. Now, Google is loosening its Play Store policies to make room for what it’s calling “real-money games,” or gaming apps involving real-world currency.
Why is Google allowed to remove purchases from our Play Store accounts without telling us?
Users are starting to get fed up with games disappearing from their accounts without any explanation
Most of the time, the Google Play Store is awesome. It's notoriously easy to navigate, has a decently attractive user interface, and features all the applications you could expect to find in an app marketplace. Whether your jam is games to pass the time or more serious applications, the Play Store is your entrance into the world of entertainment on your Android device. With a little over three and a half million apps available to download, there's something for everyone on the Google Play Store.
Have a question about an app? The Play Store may use AI to answer it
Because everything is better with AI, right?
AI tools are seemingly finding their way into every corner of our lives, partly due to companies that continue to integrate them into their products and services. Google is one of these businesses, and AI is popping up in most of the search giant's products and services, from Maps to Docs. Now, it seems like the company is trying to make use of generative AI in the Play Store, too.
Google and Apple might have to play nice with external app stores in Japan
The country is likely planning to give independent app stores and payment systems a thumbs up
The Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Union's grand attempt to keep big tech in check, was passed in November last year. The law aims to address anticompetitive practices among technology companies, particularly the dominance of major players such as Google and Apple. For the Cupertino-based tech behemoth, compliance with the DMA means it must entertain the audacious idea of letting users sideload apps on iOS. As these companies gear up for DMA compliance starting in 2024, Japan is also exploring the possibility of implementing similar requirements for the tech giants.
Microsoft's AI chatbot app Copilot is now on the Play Store
Android users can get free access to GPT-4 and DALL-E
Whether you love them or hate them, AI chatbots are here to stay. Powered by large language models, chatbots have carved a unique place into many people's workflows. They can teach you a new subject or serve as a faster alternative to a Google search. Various chatbots are available to us, and they are all pretty similar, but we have our favorites. Google's new GPT-4 competitor Gemini Pro dominated the headlines with its recent release, but quietly, Microsoft just made its AI more accessible to Android users.
How to install Android apps to multiple devices simultaneously
Install must-have apps in bulk with ease
Have you ever come across an amazing new app and wished you could have it on all your devices? Installing the same app across multiple Android devices is easier than ever. Whether you want a hot new game on your phone and Chromebook or a handy productivity app synced across all your gadgets, Google Play has your back.
Google may finally let you remotely uninstall apps from the Play Store
It took Google long enough, but it's likely happening soon after a little delay
Installing a Play Store app on any of your Google account-linked devices is a breeze, but when it comes to uninstalling, it's a bit of a hassle to navigate through device settings. The Play Store v38.3 update, which dropped in November, promised to change that by turning your Android phone into a proper app manager, letting you uninstall apps remotely on all your connected devices. However, the remote uninstall feature didn't kick in as expected, and it seems Google postponed it until version 38.8, which arrived a few days ago. The wait may soon be over, and now we finally have our first look at the feature in action prior to its official rollout.
Google's latest Play Store search tweak has some users seeing double
A search tab with a search bar at the top of the page?
Google uses the Play Store to give us the best apps on Android in a reliable and secure manner, but with the Play Store pre-installed on virtually every Android device, the company also has massive monetization opportunities right there. We started seeing sponsored app placements in the search suggestions field on the Play Store app for Android earlier this year, but someone at Google may have had a brainwave because a whole search page has been spotted in the wild during testing.
2023 is coming to an end, meaning it is time for all our favorite services to release their yearly awards and wrap-ups. This also means it is time for the Google Play's Best of 2023 Awards, highlighting the best apps and games to hit the Play Store this year. To keep up with the times, Google has added several new award categories: Best with AI, Best Game for Good, Best on Google Play Games on PC, and Best Multi-device App and Game.
Whether it's a game that doesn't run properly or an app that doesn't fit your needs, you'll want a refund for your purchase. Google makes requesting a refund a relatively painless process. If you picked up one of the latest and greatest Android tablets and went a bit overboard downloading the best Android apps, here's how to request a refund on Google Play.