Google's most frequent corporate comparison is Apple, but one significant difference between the two tech titans is their differing retail presence. Although Google has occasionally had pop-up stores and some limited existence inside other retailers like Best Buy and Curry's, it's never had its own dedicated retail stores—though it was previously rumored to be working on a set in India. But, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune, Google may be close to finalizing a lease alleged to be used for a new retail flagship in Chicago's Fulton Market district.
Read MoreAmazon Go app hits Google Play just ahead of Seattle store opening
Amazon's getting ready to open up its checkout-free Amazon Go convenience store in Seattle tomorrow on January 22nd, and the corresponding app has just hit Google Play. Advertising "Just Walk Out Shopping," the new Amazon Go store uses sensors and cameras to keep track of which items you take, charging your Amazon account for whatever you bring out of the store. Basically, it's shopping, but without the tedious process of a manual checkout.
Read MorePixel 2 XL, but not Pixel 2, now sold on Google Store in Italy and Spain
Google's hardware has always been difficult to purchase, if you happen to live outside of a handful of countries. The original Pixels were only sold by Google in six regions - Australia, Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, and the United States. The Pixel 2 and 2 XL were originally limited to those regions as well, but now the XL is expanding to Italy and Spain.
Read MoreGoogle Store officially launches in Puerto Rico, Pixel and other products available for purchase
Puerto Rico, despite being a territory of the United States, is often treated as a separate country by businesses. Puerto Rican residents could order from the US Google Store, but now Google has created a separate Store just for the island itself.
Read MoreAndroid is expected to pass iOS in app store revenue this year
Historically, iOS has always topped Android in terms of app revenue. There are several reasons for this - the vast majority of Android devices are cheap phones (owners of low-end phones aren't as likely to pay a premium for apps), piracy is much easier, etc. But according to a report from App Annie, that could finally change this year.
Read MoreMotorola Will Open A Retail Phone Store In Chicago Later This Week
Motorola, the last American phone company that wasn't Apple (at least before they got bought by Google and then shuffled over to Lenovo), now has an American store front. Well, technically at least: it has exactly one retail store, which Motorola's PR team is calling an "experimental boutique." If you're in the Chicago area, where Motorola's US headquarters is located, you can check it out on Saturday. The store will open for full business a week later at 108 North State Street.
Read More[Copy All The Things!] You Can Now Copy Changelogs And App Descriptions Using Android Play Store App
Earlier today, Kirill Grouchnikov, the face behind the Play Store Android app, detailed a set of relatively substantial design tweaks and RTL language support destined for an upcoming update. Unfortunately, the APK uploaded to APK Mirror shortly after did not seem to have the majority of these changes live just yet, but Kirill, who also announced his departure from the Google Play team, managed to sneak in one last parting gift.
And it's the best gift he could have possibly given us. Or at least me, considering I copy changelogs all day long for APKMirror.com. I think I now owe him 100 beautiful white roses.
Read MoreCases And Charging Cables For Nexus 5X And Nexus 6P Are Now Live On The Google Store
A couple of hours ago Google officially announced the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P, which are now both live on the Google Store. If you were able to pre-order one of these phones, you're probably wondering what accessories are going to be available. Well you don't have to wait at all to find out, because Google already has quite a few cases and cables on the Google Store for both devices. I'm going to cut right to the chase and dump all the information.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
Google Play Books Still Has An Alarming Number Of Scammy Book Listings
A couple of months ago, we published a story about the scam problem in Google Play Books, and we haven't been alone in criticism of the store's issues.
The gist is this: Google's Play Books store was plagued by scammy "guide" books that, for a few dollars, promised access to cracked APKs, but in reality provided nothing but scams and malware.
Two of the publishers we mentioned in the post - Monster Guides Editor Pro and leon Master - were removed from the Play Store, but plenty remain, still distributing links to pirated apps and malicious sites, or outright selling the work of legitimate authors.
Read More
Google Releases Virtual Reality Cardboard App To Show Off Its First Branded Store
Have you ever wished that Google would just open its equivalent of an Apple Store, so you could have a one-stop-shop for your favorite phones, tablets, and Chromebooks? The company has dabbled with the idea before, and Americans can kinda-sorta experience this in the corner of a local Best Buy, but now the Big G is taking things to the next level by opening its first branded shop. It just happens to be at Currys PC World in London.
I hear you, London is an awfully long ways away. You could pay for a plane ticket and ditch work or school just to stroll around for a few obscenely reckless minutes—or you could simply download the Google Cardboard app that's now available in the Play Store.
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