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Google bans predatory payday loan apps from the Play Store
Google has fought predatory loans for a while, but now it's taking that fight to its app store. The Wall Street Journal has learned that Google recently banned Play Store apps with "deceptive or harmful" personal loans where the annual percentage rate is 36 percent or higher, such as many payday loans. A spokesman said the expanded financial policy, implemented in August, was meant to "protect users" against "exploitative" terms.
Sneaky tactics lead to millions of malware-laden Android app downloads
Reports of malware-laden Android apps with millions of downloads are becoming a monthly occurrence. Google recently removed 25 more apps from the Play Store after Symantec discovered that they shared similar malicious code structure. These apps, which seemed like benign photo and fashion apps, were downloaded by users over 2.1 million times.
Google will force Android apps to show the odds of getting loot box items
Google has made some major alterations to its Play Store policies that tighten rules surrounding sexual content, hate speech and loot boxes. Android Police has spotted the changes, noting that they were designed to make the platform's ecosystem more suitable for children. Under the policies' Monetization and Ads section, Google now notes that games offering randomized virtual items for purchase "must clearly disclose the odds of receiving those items in advance of purchase." In other words, you'll now know how hard it is to get particular items from loot boxes or gacha, so you can better manage your expectations.
Google's opening up its Early Access program to more devs
Google's opening up its Early Access program today by allowing any developer to apply to let users beta test their apps.
Google makes it even easier to test Android apps
For developers, allowing the public to evaluate apps before general release is paramount -- it helps weed out the bugs that could derail an otherwise successful launch. Both Apple and Google offer the capability, but TestFlight features have only been baked into iOS for the better part of a year and Android owners have typically had to jump through a number of hoops in order to sign up. With that in mind, Google has made some welcome changes that take the hassle out of the process.
Google begins injecting ads into Play Store searches
While advertising still forms the bulk of Google's revenue, the company continuously experiments with different ways of serving ads to ensure people keep spending. Even after it realized that full-screen "interstitial" placements were turning smartphone users away, the search giant still believes mobile ads are the future, so it's followed through with its intention to bring sponsored listings to the Play Store.
Google starts reviewing apps before they reach the Play Store
Although Google has tightened app policies on the Play Store over the years, the company thinks it can do more to protect users. One way to do that is to crack down on the amount of malware and bad apps on its marketplace, so it's begun reviewing apps before they become available to download. The new policy, which is similar to Apple's approach on the App Store, has been in effect for a couple of months and uses a mix of algorithms and human intervention to weed out rogue apps.
Google's bringing sponsored app placements to the Play Store
Google is about to allow software companies to promote their apps on the Android Play Store, a space that was previously off-limits for advertising. That means alongside regular search results, you'll soon see apps from companies with the biggest marketing budgets. The search giant has pitched it as a way to "provide consumers new ways to discover apps that they otherwise might have missed" while letting vendors raise the profile of apps that'd normally get buried. As the WSJ put it, however, the new tactic is also a way for Google to sell more advertising in the face of slowing sales.
Google's Nexus 6 is back in the UK Play Store
The UK launch of Google's Nexus 6 has been a mess, but finally the pure Android smartphone has a stable presence in the Play Store. Well, sort of. The 32GB Midnight Blue model is now available, but the Cloud White variant and both 64GB configurations are still MIA. If you're happy with what's on offer, you can order one for £499 with an estimated dispatch time of three to four weeks. Of course, that rules it out as a Christmas present, but at least it's now possible to leisurely buy one from the big G. The Nexus 6 has been available in the Play Store before, but only for frustratingly short periods of time. Today, it appears to be sticking around, so here's hoping we've seen the last of its little disappearing act.
Google is refunding the $19 million your kids spent on in-app purchases
It's been three months since Google ended its row with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over its in-app purchasing policies. The commission took issue with children racking up large bills on their parents' credit cards, resulting in Mountain View settling to the tune of $19 million. Now, Google is reportedly starting the laborious process of paying back those hit the hardest by purchases. According to Phandroid, Google is sending customers an email that underlines the new Play Store features aimed at preventing unauthorized purchasing and states that it's "offering refunds in certain cases in line with [its] agreement with the FTC." Those that think they're due compensation will have until December 2nd 2015 to apply for a refund.
Chinese devs can now sell their Android apps on the Play Store
Chinese developers can finally sell their Android apps through the Google Play Store, possibly foreshadowing a local launch of the marketplace. The move gives devs the ability to sell their apps to Android users in over 130 countries around the world, with one major exception: China, where the Play Store is not available -- for now.
Google finally agrees that Apple's 'walled garden' is a good idea
Apple's App Store is "big brother" and the Google Play Store is the wild west where anything goes, right? Not anymore, as Google is implementing a very Apple-like screening process for all new Android TV apps before they land on the digital marketplace. As Android Police reports, Google's new content guidelines note that apps will have to make it through quality control before being tossed up for sale on the Play Store, marking a dramatic shift in thinking and a silent agreement that Apple's "walled garden" approach to content might be the way to go after all. "Before distributing apps to the Play Store on Android TV devices, our team reviews apps for usability with a DPAD (apps) and Gamepad (games only) and other quality guidelines," Google's Android TV app policy notes. This will of course mean only legitimate and functional apps will find their way to the Android TV section of Google Play -- quality of published apps is something the Android platform has struggled with in the past -- but also that developers hoping to push their apps to Android TV will get to experience the joys of a testing and approval queue.
Google's new 'Material Design' UI coming to Android, Chrome OS and the web
Google's annual I/O developer keynote has only just begun, but already we're being treated to some of its announcements. In a bid to create a new "visual language" for users, Google is taking the design of its Android, Chrome OS and web properties back to basics with its new "Material Design." According to Google, Material Design is intended to make better use of available space, and bring a consistent user experience whether viewed on a smartphone, tablet or desktop. Google's apps will be updated to reflect this change, as you may have seen in early Gmail and Calendar app leaks and in the latest version of the Google+ app on Android.
Nexus 7 purchases now come with £50 Play Store credit
If you've been eyeing up Google's latest Nexus 7 tablet but needed a little something to tip you over the edge, then this might give you the incentive you need. Google and ASUS have teamed up to offer £50 credit to spend on Play Store content if you purchase a 16GB Nexus 7 between now and June 1st. There's also some good news if you bought your Nexus earlier in the month: ASUS says that any purchase made from a UK retailer after May 5th will qualify. If you have your Nexus 7 in hand, all you have to do is head to this site within 30 days and follow the instructions to redeem your credit.
Google expands Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 sales to more European countries
Google may have wowed the world yesterday with the introduction of Android Wear, but it turns out it also had some Nexus-related news tucked away too. Already available in 13 countries around the world, the search giant has quietly expanded sales of the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 across Europe, listing them on the Play Store in eight new markets. These include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden, giving customers the option to bypass operators and grab themselves an unlocked Nexus device direct from Google. With the Chromecast finally on sale outside of the US and an influx of Android-powered wearables on the way, Google's finally making it easier for Europeans to start investing in its expanding product family.
Google finally releases Now Launcher to the Play store, for Nexus and Play Edition devices
Most of us assumed it was only a matter of time before Google released the Now launcher that debuted on the Nexus 5 to the Play store. Now that day has come... provided you're the owner of a Nexus or Play Edition handset that runs KitKat. The new homescreen is the one you've already come to know and love on the newest Nexus phone, complete with the ability to say "Ok Google" from any home screen to automatically launch Now's voice command functions. Breaking the launcher out from the core Android code also means it'll be easier for Google to update and add features to it going forward, without having to release an entirely new version of the OS. Now the next step will be getting the launcher on more phones, even if it still requires you to have KitKat. Though, as the internet giant successfully breaks its own apps and services away from the Android core, the Nexus program becomes less and less important.
Google Play Store update brings better social app recommendations to Android
Just when it appeared Google's recent run of Android updates had come to an end, a new version of the Play Store pops up with new features in tow. Android Police got its hands on the app, running it under a microscope to find new social and recommendation features that make finding and downloading the best apps less of a hassle. To that end, Google now warns you when an app you're about to download contains in-app purchases, also making it easier to review apps with a larger star selector and dedicated edit and delete buttons. Opting for improved social recommendations, a new activity feed combines your +1s and ratings and connects them to your Google+ profile, letting you peek at those made by your friends to find apps you might otherwise have missed. Google's already begun rolling out the Play Store update, but if you can't wait for it to come over-the-air, hit up the source below to get the jump on everyone else.
Google adds Game of Thrones and other hit HBO shows to the UK Play Store
Now that British Android users finally have access to TV shows on the Play Store, Google's finally starting to make good on its promise to deliver award-winning content. Following its deal in the US, the search giant has today made Game of Thrones and other popular HBO shows like Boardwalk Empire, True Blood and Girls, available on the UK store. While Sky and Tesco's VOD service Blinkbox beat all other UK players to the punch by offering Game of Thrones TV broadcasts and streams respectively, Google will enjoy the fact it has access to the first three seasons of the show ahead of Apple. For Game of Thrones, you'll pay £18.49 (around $30) for each season or £1.89 (around $3) for individual episodes, with other shows coming in slightly cheaper. Google says classic HBO series like The Wire and The Sopranos will soon be available, letting Android smartphone, tablet and set-top box owners access episodes from early next year.
Bluetooth certification hints LTE Nexus 4 may live alongside the Nexus 5
While Google and LG look set to launch the Nexus 5 in the coming days, new evidence hints that the pair could be making plans to extend the life of its predecessor. A new filing at the Bluetooth SIG has revealed a listing for LG's E960 handset, otherwise known as the Nexus 4, which quietly gained certification with LTE support onboard. Interestingly, it also highlights the same model number as the original model that received Bluetooth 4.0 certification earlier in year, suggesting that LTE chip hiding inside the Nexus 4 could finally be put to good use, almost a year after the device hit the Play Store. While the listing doesn't provide conclusive evidence of either company's plans, we've heard rumors that the Nexus 4 and $349 Nexus 5 may see a future by each other's side, making for a very compelling Google smartphone lineup in the future.
PSA: BBM for iOS rollout underway, Android version acting a little shy
It's been something of a mixed week for BlackBerry, but it's good news for those with an affinity for its BBM service (but an allegiance to other phones.) If you're over on the Apple side of the fence, it looks like rollout has begun, with BBM showing up on iTunes in New Zealand, with more territories sure to follow. Meanwhile, Android was set to land on the Play store at around 7am ET, but has yet to break cover. We'll keep an eye out, and update this post once it's live. Or, like many others, keep refreshing the source link until it shows up!
