Google wants to make Android iPhone-like. Recent announcements include iPhone-like capabilities, while Android 15 promises the most privacy and security improvements.
Android apps are less secure than iPhone ones. Google strives to conceal hazardous Play Store applications. Google Play Protect protects many users successfully, but the issue is rising. Google seems more devoted to fixing it.
In Android 15, “live threat detection” will use on-device AI to “analyze behavioral signals related to the use of sharp permissions and relations with other apps and services” to alert abusers quickly. This will run up app flagging and removal but not how an app got on the Play Store.
Google will remove famous Play Store apps for six weeks: “We’re updating the Spam and Minimum Functionality procedure to ensure apps meet Play catalog norms and engage users with quality functionality and content user experiences.”
From August 31, Google will target apps “that are static without app-specific functionalities, for instance, text only or PDF file apps, apps with very little range and that do not provide an engaging user knowledge, for example, single wallpaper apps, and apps that are created to do nothing or have no function Millions—some on your phone.
Google’s quality improvement is clever. Play Store apps that appear harmless have been used to distribute malware or act as evil twins.
If most negative Play Store apps offer no use, this tightens the net. Google often removes apps, but this time, it looks different. Popular apps with millions of installs and low-quality legal apps may fail.
Google urges app developers to offer a reliable, responsive, and engaging experience. Google Play prohibits applications that break, lack basic mobile app usability, lack engaging content, or fail to deliver a great user experience.
Other Play Store upgrades improve security. Google strengthened enforcement, implemented spyware protection standards, and ordered developers to erase third-party malicious code on July 17.
Developers have six weeks to comply. Google discourages third-party retailers and consumers from sideloading applications. Play is growing as near to the App Store as possible.
After its announcement last week, Google’s Great Play Store Purge has international coverage. Industry analysts were astonished by the predicted deletions after the “sudden” warning and big purge. PC Mag warns that “thousands of apps on the Google Play Store may unexpectedly disappear next month.”
Google and its Android users are warned before such stories are issued that this purge is no cure-all and that more work remains to fix store security flaws and better protect customers.
Android Police just reported another big Play Store vulnerability that may appear to be a quality control issue but has substantial security ramifications and keeps Google’s store behind Apple’s locked-down version.
The Android tech blog asks Google to “just make updates work on the first try.” Problem: Play Store “falsely claiming your apps or Android version are up-to-date even when they’re not.” Android Police claims a “simple refresh” may fix phone-store sync, but “that’s an additional step many people won’t bother to take.”
Though it appears to be about quality control, the purge is actually about security. Google is sensitive to criticism that it can’t safeguard users against Android malware, which seems intractable. Play Protect and the App Defense Alliance respond quickly to vulnerability reports. The purge is public, but those initiatives remain buried.
Android Police’s article highlights Google’s fight against Apple, which is essential. Unlike Apple, Samsung and other OEMs drip-feed monthly security fixes by model, region, and carrier over weeks due to similar vulnerabilities. Pixels fixed a zero-day vulnerability in June, while other OEMs still have it. Samsung verified their August fix, as reported here.
Android Police believes the performance sync issue began with Play Store “when Google uncoupled app updates from system updates, security patches, and general improvements could roll out to separate apps.” Despite this feature distinguishing Android from iOS, the Play Store seldom displays app updates. That disadvantages Android over iOS, leaving customers exposed.
Google deserves accolades for this purge, but Android experts say “Please try harder”. Android strongly opposes Apple-like products, yet the purge has been well welcomed. “I hope it’s not more like Apple,” one Reddit user commented, “but some better regulations would be nice.” Another joked, “So the Play Store will be useful now?”
Six weeks until purging. If you can’t get enough, buy cheap torches, horoscopes, and PDF or QR-code readers.
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