Images are examples and subject to change // Source: Goole

According to the Android development team, Google Play now offers automatic updates and in-app updates to keep users up-to-date. However, there are still those who use older versions of apps.

The new feature enables the developers of the apps that are available on the Google store to remind users about updates of already outdated versions.

With the new feature, users who are using a particular version will receive an update notification every time they open the given app.

For the convenience of Android fans, developers can indicate which versions of apps need updating.

According to initial experiments by the Android team, over 50% of users who receive update notifications respond to them.

Updating the latest version of an app can help improve the user experience and security of the app.

The release, known as Android Studio Hedgehog, is designed to boost developer productivity, according to the company in a blog post.

The App Quality Insights feature incorporates Android status data from the Google Play Console in addition to the Firebase Crashlytics SDK. This enhancement allows users to analyze
crash reports for any app published to the Google Play Store without additional tools.

The App Quality Insights tool window now empowers users to effortlessly observe, filter, and tackle Android vitals issues. You can gain valuable insights into crashes and navigate seamlessly from stack trace to code, ensuring swift issue resolution.

Furthermore, the newly introduced Power Profiler in Android takes device power consumption analysis to a whole new level. It provides in-depth insights by segmenting information into “Power Rails,” surpassing the capabilities of the previous Energy Profiler. With direct measurement of power consumption, users can now achieve a more precise understanding of the relationship between power usage and app actions, enhancing overall performance.

This feature allows easy identification and resolution of power consumption issues through A/B tests, optimizing apps for better battery and thermal performance. Access Power Rails data on Pixel 6+ devices running Android 10+. Additionally, the SDK Upgrade Assistant in Android Studio Hedgehog simplifies targetSdkVersion upgrades with a user-friendly, documentation-integrated wizard, minimizing time and effort.

Hedgehog introduces support for upgrading projects to Android 14 (API Level 34) and includes enhanced relevance filters to eliminate unnecessary steps. The upgrade assistant can precisely identify code sections where changes are required, further simplifying the upgrade process.

In addition, in this version the IntelliJ platform has been upgraded to version 2023.1.

Additional updates include UI improvements, device mirroring, an embedded layout inspector, and more.

Earlier this year, Google unveiled new verification requirements for app developers. Recognizing that teams of different sizes require varying timelines to implement these changes, Google has granted developers the flexibility to set their own deadlines for compliance.

To secure their preferred deadline, developers are encouraged to apply promptly, as the allocation of deadlines will follow a first-come, first-served approach. Those who do not select a deadline by February 29, 2024, will be automatically assigned one.

The next change modification entails that new personal developer accounts must undergo testing by 20 individuals for a minimum of two weeks before their applications can be published. Google emphasizes that apps utilizing Google Play’s testing tools exhibit, on average, three times the number of app installs and user engagement compared to those that do not.

Google also added that global review teams will spend more time evaluating new apps, which could lead to longer review times for certain types of apps, such as those designed for children or those that require certain device permissions.

“These deeper reviews help ensure that users are engaging in safe and trusted experiences through Google Play,” Kobi Gluck, director of product management for Google Play, wrote in a blog post.

The company is actively seeking to acknowledge and promote developers who prioritize quality in their apps, aiming to enhance their discoverability. Users will now receive information about an app’s performance on their specific device, and Google Play has introduced a feature that highlights local and regional content of high quality.

“All of these changes are designed to help connect people with safe, high-quality, useful, and relevant experiences they’ll love, wherever they are and on whatever device they’re using,” Gluck added.

Next year Google will also add more signifiers to store listings, including a badge that denotes an app is an official government app.

Google Play Protect, the native security system of the Android platform, has unveiled an innovative feature that conducts real-time code analysis on Android apps and prevents the installation of potentially harmful ones, TechCrunch reported.

In a recent announcement, Google introduced this groundbreaking real-time app scanning feature integrated into Google Play Protect. The company asserts that this feature is designed to identify and block malicious or counterfeit applications that might infiltrate Android devices from sources outside the official app store.

“Our policies are increasingly stringent to deter predatory apps from being listed on the Play Store. Nevertheless, malicious actors are resourceful, constantly devising new tactics to deceive people, prompting us to take additional measures”, said Saikat Mitra at the Google for India event in New Delhi last month, Google’s head of trust and safety for APAC, highlighting the evolving threat landscape.

Play Protect now recommends real-time app scanning for any new app that has not undergone prior analysis. This process involves a thorough examination of an app’s code, enabling it to extract crucial information that is then relayed to Play Protect’s backend infrastructure for a comprehensive code-level evaluation.

While Google regularly scrutinizes apps on the Android platform for malware, it is not always infallible. Additionally, many Android users continue to engage in sideloading, a practice that involves installing apps from sources other than the official app store, effectively bypassing the numerous security measures in place. Sideloading remains a favored choice among Android users.

In a bid to address the alarming rise of predatory loan applications, Google has introduced an enhanced real-time code-level scanning feature. These apps have been linked to the harassment of users, leading to tragic consequences, including instances of victims taking their own lives. These malicious actors exploit user data, such as contacts and photos, to intimidate and bully individuals.

Over the past year, Google has taken decisive action by removing more than 3,500 of these apps due to violations of its policy requirements. However, attackers continue to find new avenues to target vulnerable users.

Google initially launched the Play Protect update in India and intends to expand its deployment internationally in the near future.

Google’s proposal comes in response to the CMA’s enforcement action against the company last year, which was aimed at the conditions it placed on developers for in-app payments.

“Google’s complete control over in-app payments raised concerns this unfairly restricted app developers – by forcing them to use Google Play’s billing system – putting distance between them and their customers and reducing competition, to the detriment of Google Play users,”

said Ann Pope, Senior Director of Antitrust at the CMA.

The proposal offers two options: Developer Only (DOB) or User Choice (UCB), which will give users the option to choose between alternative billing and Google Play Billing (GPB).

The fee reductions are part of Google’s proposal to address the concerns raised by the CMA. Google has also asked for the option to phase in the proposed commitments, with the service initially available to non-game app developers and then extending to game apps no later than October 2023.

The CMA has launched a consultation on Google’s proposal and invites developers and other interested parties to respond by 19 May. After considering the responses, it will decide whether to accept the commitments and resolve the case.
The proposal is an extension of the alternative billing choice that Google already offers in the European Economic Area (EEA) and in other parts of the world, such as South Korea and India, where Google was forced to offer alternative billing due to a $162 million fine for antitrust practices.

Google’s proposal requires developers to meet appropriate consumer protection requirements, and fees and terms of service will continue to apply to support investment in Android and the Play Store.

The CMA is seeking feedback on Google’s proposed reduction in service fees, the proposed process for reporting to Google on turnover associated with in-app purchases, the use of information screens, the UCB billing choice screen, and the process Google proposes for monitoring compliance with commitments.

“Both DOB and UCB would allow app developers the opportunity to use billing systems of their choosing (and DOB would allow them to choose not to offer GPB at all), breaking the link that the GPB requirement currently creates between access to Google Play and the use of Google’s proprietary billing system for in-app sales of access to digital content or services,”

wrote the CMA in its Notice of Intent.

“Moreover, third-party payment processors will be able to offer their services to potential app developer customers for in-app purchases of digital content or services within an app distributed on Google Play, allowing app developers to benefit from increased choice and competition.”

the CMA continued.

Both DOB and UCB will enable app developers to use billing systems of their choice, breaking the link that the GPB requirement currently creates between access to Google Play and access to millions of Android users.

The expo comes just a week after Google rolled out Android security patches for eligible Pixel smartphones.

The January 2023 update brings several optimizations related to the download and install phases of apps that make these processes as seamless as possible.

Here are all the changes in the Google Play System Update for January 2023:

Games

• [Phone, PC] Expanding the range of users and use cases supported by the Play Games profile.

Google Play Store

• New Features to help you discover Apps & Games.
• Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.
• Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe.
• Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility.

Developer Services

• [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support device connectivity related developer services in their apps.

To take advantage of the aforementioned enhancements, you’ll need to have the January Google Play System Update, Play Services version 01.23, and Play Store version 33.5 installed.

This free interactive class is hosted by Katy Lynch, Co-Founder of Codeverse. In fact, she aims to show kids how their creativity and imagination can come to life with coding.

Students will be able to choose colors, sound effects, fun objects, and game events using real coding principles. What is more, after class, students will be given free Codeverse accounts to further iterate and develop their own game, and Codeverse will select one student to have their game submitted to the Google Play and Apple App stores. Katy Lynch, Co-Founder at Codeverse, commented:

“I am so excited to host our first class with Varsity Tutors. The creativity and excitement kids have for coding never ceases to amaze me, and seeing the games they create and share is so rewarding. Codeverse is all about kids unlocking their creativity, bringing their ideas to life, and sharing their creations with the world. We are delighted to partner with Varsity Tutors to reach and connect with more kids.”

The class is part of the Beginning Coders Club, an after-school club hosted by Varsity Tutors. In the club, groups of 6-9 learners meet weekly for expert-led, interactive sessions to create and play games while learning the fundamentals of computer programming. It is open for registration until January 19th on the Varsity Tutors website.

 e.GO Connect is now available to iOS as well as Android users and can be downloaded from App Store and Google Play. The program has been commenced and vehicles will be connected to the e.GO platform gradually.

The first available features include real-time vehicle and battery status, trip planner, car finder, service contact as well as key metrics and statistics on driving behavior amongst others. The connectivity is the foundation to enable a range of future services such as predictive maintenance. Ali Vezvaei, Chairman of the Board, said:

“We aspire to enable our customers to buy their e.GO vehicle as convenient as they buy their smartphone, charge it as effortlessly and use it as seamlessly as they use their smartphone. This unique and connected digital user experience defines our innovation and digital strategy.”

The company is committed to contributing to zero-emission urban mobility as it further ramps up production in 2022 and beyond.

It feels like yesterday when smartphones have just arrived, ready to change our lives. Since that moment, the development of all these smartphones and gadgets became really fast. Day after day, more and more novelties, upgrades, and innovations are pouring over us.

There is no doubt that Android games are one of the most exciting things, and playing them on Windows has been possible probably for as long as Android has existed, and all of this is thanks to projects such as Android x86 and Bluestacks.

Microsoft has been building an Android application layer into Windows. Its software is downloadable from the Amazon Appstore, and it seems that Google is already determined to create its own mechanism for playing Android games on PCs.

A surprising announcement was made by Google on Thursday night when The Game Awards took place. In 2022 we can expect a new application by Google, which will give its users the opportunity to play Android Games on their PCs, or at least this was revealed by the company.

Greg Hartrell, who is Google’s product director of games on Android and Google Play, told The Verge:

“This Google-built product brings the best of Google Play Games to more laptops and desktops, and we are thrilled to expand our platform for players to enjoy their favorite Android games even more.”

How does it work? Which games will be available? Maybe you are full of questions but at that point, the company isn’t saying much right now. However, Google admitted that the app was built without the use of existing technology from Microsoft, Bluestacks, or others. The only thing that is for sure is that the games will run locally on your PC and they will not be streamed from a cloud server. Also, the app will be compatible with Windows 10 and newer, but Microsoft’s virtualization layer for Android apps is only supported on Windows 11.

However, it seems as though Google is not actually interested in running standard Android apps on Windows, but Microsoft’s implementation supports both apps and games.

“This launch will bring LiveOne into the car with a seamlessly integrated in-car user experience without the need for your mobile device. In car entertainment is going through a revolution and this development enables us to reach all of the current and upcoming Google Automotive Services (GAS) vehicles, allowing consumers to enjoy a library of over 30 million songs, original and exclusive content, including over 500 curated audio stations, 235 podcasts/vodcasts.”

Android Automotive is a full-stack, open source, highly customizable software platform powering the vehicle’s numerous safety, environmental, and infotainment systems. It enables implementers to differentiate and tailor the content experience specific to a brand’s identity.

LiveOne solutions have and continue to power premiere music applications from innovative partners such as Samsung, AoL, Harman, Tesla, and others.