What you need to know
- Google is clamping down on low-quality apps in the Play Store with new measures for Android developers.
- Now, app developers with newly created Play Console accounts are required to test their apps with a minimum of 20 users for at least two weeks prior to release.
- The new rules also include increased app reviews and the ability for developers to choose their preferred date for meeting verification requirements.
Google has made consistent efforts to keep unsafe and low-quality apps at bay, including sweeping outdated apps under the rug. Now, the search giant is introducing increased measures for Android developers publishing apps on the Play Store.
The company is also investing more in its app review process. To date, this process has been seemingly less rigid than Apple’s process, as Google has relied more on automation over human-led reviews. However, that’s about to change as the tech giant is shifting from automated checks to more personal reviews.
“This will allow developers to test their app, identify issues, get feedback, and ensure that everything is ready before they launch,” Google said in the announcement.
According to the tech giant, developers who use its app testing tools are known to amass, on average, three times the amount of app installs and user engagement. And now, due to Google’s updated policies, testing is no longer an option, with the requirement reaching personal developer accounts "in the coming days."
The company is also investing more in its app review process. To date, this process has been seemingly less rigid than Apple’s process, as Google has relied more on automation over human-led reviews. However, that’s about to change as the tech giant is shifting from automated checks to more personal reviews.
Google says its review teams will “now spend more time assessing new apps to make sure they provide a valuable user experience that does not deceive or defraud users,” including within the app or outside the Play Store.
Elsewhere on the Play Store, the company also announced the ability for developers to choose their preferred deadline for meeting Google Play’s stricter verification requirements for publishing on the Play Store. This is due to the tech giant’s acknowledgment that some developers may verify their apps at different speeds, depending on the type or size. However, the company notes that if developers don’t choose a deadline by February 29, 2023, they will receive one automatically.
In terms of future updates, we can expect to see a badge identifying official government apps on the Play Store, starting in 2024.
