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It's not unusual for things to go missing on your favorite bargain Android phone; even the best apps on the Play Store can glitch out, refuse to load, or get lost in transit, especially early access software. Given Google's habit of quietly updating the inner workings of its application storefront, keeping track of important features like app recovery can be difficult, and that's where we come in. Here is AP's essential guide on how to find, view, and reinstall any previously downloaded apps, all on your favorite budget Android tablet. Here's what to do.
The Play Store's mysterious Cubes feature is starting to take shape
Google has remained quiet about what Cubes actually is
Android loves widgets, and so do we. It’s one of the best ways to get accurate information quickly without having to do more than grabbing your phone and unlocking it. Whether you need to look for today’s weather at home, check out what’s next on your to-do list, or keep up-to-date with your teams’ latest scores, there’s seemingly something for everything you need. Something that isn’t yet available, though, is a widget to see the news about what’s new in the Google Play Store, but it’s on its way in the shape of a cube.
Google Play now shows app screenshots tailored to specific devices
Watches, smartphones, tablets, oh my!
Google Play as an app faces the difficult task of having to adapt to many different smartphone brands and hardware, which can lead to glitches and bugs popping up out of nowhere, even on Google Pixel phones. This extends to struggles to accurately show what its apps look like on different form factors, such as smartwatches and tablets, rather than just smartphones. When app developers upload screenshots of their software running on non-phone form factors, Google Play forces the user to scroll to the end of a long line of photos to see what it looks like on their device. That will no longer be the case with the addition of device filters on app pages.
Google Play Points: What they are and how to use them wisely
Where did all these points in your Play Store come from and how are they useful?
Google Play points let you earn rewards from purchases made in the Google Play Store. These rewards include store credit, in-app items, and discount coupons. For example, if you buy any of our favorite Android apps on the Play Store, you'll earn a minimum of 1 Play Point for each $1 spent.
Google will start scanning for Android malware in real time
Having to worry less about what's on your phone is a win in our book
Android is about as open as operating systems get these days. Compared to iOS, which allows very little wiggle room for non-Apple authorized customization, Android users can do almost anything to their phone — for better or worse — with a little bit of tinkering. One of the ways people can utilize the openness of their smartphone is by sideloading apps outside the Google Play Store, which can obviously be a bit dangerous regardless of whether you’re as careful as they come with technology or not. Malware can come in all shapes and sizes, so Google has taken the steps to finally roll out an enhanced version of Google Play Protect, which we mentioned was being worked on last month.
The Google Play Store's dark theme has gotten even darker
It’s not quite AMOLED dark, but it’s getting there
Over the years, the Google Play Store has gotten a few theme refreshes that have either elicited passionate or apathetic reactions. It can be a sign of a bigger design trend when Google shakes things up, such as integrating Material You’s dynamic colors into the app. Back in 2021, when Material You was officially unveiled, the store’s design started changing rapidly, getting the pill-shaped search box we’re so used to now. In a slightly less-than-revolutionary move, changes have been made to the app’s dark theme, making it much darker in the process.
Google eases restrictions on how apps are allowed to use blockchains
Updated Play Store policy clarifies what is (and what's still not) allowed
Blockchain apps have been largely prohibited on the Play Store, and Google has long only allowed apps that allow users to remotely manage cryptocurrency, trading, and some other basic functions. However, Google has decided to loosen these restrictions with a policy update that could bring in a whole new genre to the Google Play Store.
Google shoves more ads into the Play Store, to no one’s surprise
Prepare for two rows of ads after you install an app
Google has been getting pretty aggressive about ads on the Google Play Store, to the point where a news post like this could very well pop up once a month or even multiple times a month. The Google Play Store is viewed daily by millions of people, so for a company thriving on the ad business, it would be unwise to not take advantage of it to show a couple of ads here and there. Except there are not just a couple now, but actually a lot of them. The latest modification to the Play Store's constantly-expanding ads is a rather minor change, but still one that gives ads much more prominence after you install a new app.
Google introduces free, near-instantaneous game translation service for devs
This might be great for developers who can't afford the existing paid translation service Google already offers
The most popular games on the Google Play Store are available in multiple languages. If you really want your game to grow, you can't have dialogs and menu items in just one language. But if you're a small developer, you might not be able to afford translation services, and unless you know multiple languages, your hands are pretty much tied. That's exactly where Google's latest developer tool comes in. Google has announced an addition to the Google Play Console that hooks into Google Translate, helping translate in-app text in your games into more languages, near instantaneously and free.
Google Play's super nerdy 10th anniversary shirt is here — too bad you probably can't get one
Stocks are limited, so hurry
Who doesn't appreciate getting a little corporate swag now and then? Lots of services reward their most engaged users with additional benefits and the occasional commemorative freebie. Google is no different, offering a bunch of exclusive benefits to its top-tier Google One subscribers and Play Points earners. Google Play is currently celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and to mark the occasion there's an exclusive t-shirt up for grabs for the highest Play Points earners.
AI art, a viral social network, and a port of a massive battle royal lead Google's best apps for 2022
Did your favorite win?
As we head into the final month of the year, it's time to start handing out some superlatives to the gadgets, products, apps, and entertainment we loved in 2022. Just a month after opening up voting in the Users' Choice categories, it's Google's turn. If you've been wondering what made for the best games and apps on the Play Store this year, wonder no further.
The Google Play Services app will now explain to you what it does
And why you might not want to disable it for reasons other than troubleshooting
Google services are an essential part of the experience of our Android phones. Not only do you have the Play Store, where you get all your apps and update them, but Google also powers many of your phone's essentials, such as your ads, your contacts, and even your notifications. In case you're thinking about turning off Google Play Services on your smartphone, Google has whipped up a handy page in an attempt to prevent you from doing that.
The Play Store is working to stop recommending lower-quality apps
Listings and recommendations should become more useful
While the Android Dev Summit takes a week off before diving into the subject of form factors, the Google Play team is announcing some new capabilities for app developers that will subtly impact how users experience the Play Store. Some of the changes will give more visibility and promotion to some apps while blocking some others from appearing in recommendations, and you may even see some app listings change descriptions just for you.
Google gives up on enforcing its in-app Play Store billing system in India for now
All thanks to a $113 million fine
In October 2020, Google announced a crackdown on in-app purchases affecting apps and games on the Play Store that did not rely on the Play billing system. In India, over 150 companies allied against the payment restrictions, forcing Google to delay the in-app purchase requirement in the country until March 31, 2022, before extending it to October 31, 2022. A week before the deadline, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) slapped Google with a $113 million fine and an order to allow developers to use third-party payment processing services for in-app transactions and app purchases. Now, the big G has silently decided to delay the enforcement of the new policy in the country.
Here are the 10 indie Android games you'll want to pick up this weekend
These titles won Google Play's Indie Games Festival
Looking for some new games to pick up and play this weekend? Google has wrapped up its month-long Indie Games Festival, announcing ten winning titles from across Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Take a look and see if any of these numbers interest you.
September Google Play system update brings Google Kids Space improvements
You can now hide recommended apps while setting up Google Kids space
Google started publishing detailed changelogs of monthly Google Play system updates from the beginning of this year. The changelog makes it easy to know the new features and enhancements the company is adding to existing Android devices without rolling out a full OS update. September has just begun, and the company has already detailed some new features and enhancements rolling out as a part of this month's update.
You can now check for Google Play system updates manually again
Google has fixed the bug that led the Check for Update button for Google Play system update to go missing
Google Play system updates are critical to the OS's functioning and allow the big G to enhance your phone with minor new features or tweaks, all without having to release a new Android build. While the updates are silently pushed in the background, you can always manually check for Google Play system updates. That is until late last week when the option suddenly disappeared for several Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, Nothing, and OnePlus users. Initially, many believed that Google may have changed its distribution model and no longer wanted users to pull these updates manually. Turns out, it was a bug that the company is now fixing with a new Play Store build.
Checking for a Google Play system update isn't possible on many phones right now
There's also some questions as to whether this has to do with the August update (or if there is one)
There are more moving parts to Android than ever before and that's thanks to Google separating a great number of services from the operating system proper. That means more things are getting more updates at different times. A number of users are wondering, however, about what just happened to their ability to manually check for Google Play system updates.
Play Store lays out new rules to curb intrusive full screen ads
Also modernizes several policies about misinformation, impersonation, and monetization
Google Play regularly revises its policies in response to both new and old problems that can be found among apps in the marketplace. Many of the changes may only impact developers, with some will also having indirect effects that show up for users; but there are a few that many people will benefit from right away.
Google Play's new logo is official for its not-actually-10th birthday
Celebrate the not-birthday with 10x back on Play Points rewards that you probably won't use
Google Play's new logo, which the astute may have already spotted in certain parts of the Play Store and elsewhere, is now official and part of Google Play's "tenth" birthday. To mark the not-actually-accurate occasion, Google is giving 10x back on Play Points for purchases starting today.