Google will crack down on low-effort Play Store apps in August

Summary

• Google is cracking down on limited and broken functionality apps to improve the user experience on the Play Store.
• Apps with static content or no specific functionality are at risk of being removed by Google’s stricter policy.
• Even popular apps with millions of downloads may be affected by Google’s new initiative to ensure quality through Play Store.

Google has a rigorous review process for Android apps and games before they are allowed into its Play Store. However, despite these strict rules, some apps manage to slip through and find their way to Google’s app venue. Periodically, Google launches a crackdown against risky and low-quality apps to remove them from the Play Store, refining users’ experience. As it turns out, another round of crackdowns on limited functionality apps in the Play Store is on the horizon.

Google’s latest Spam and Minimum Functionality policy update demonstrates that the company is gearing up to remove limited and broken functionality apps from the Play Store. Google says the recent move is to ensure apps can meet the uplifted standards for the Play catalog and engage users through quality functionality. Every app on the Play Store needs to have a stable, engaging, and responsive user experience. Otherwise, Google reviewers will remove it.

Some legit apps might be removed from the Play Store as a result of Google’s new policy

As Google explains, limited functionality and content apps have three characteristics. First, they’re static without app-specific functionalities, like text-only or PDF file apps. Apps with very little content and that do not provide an engaging user experience, like single wallpaper apps, are other examples of limited functionality apps. Moreover, apps designed to do nothing or have no function will also be removed.

According to Google’s definition, broken functionality apps are those that don’t install on user apps, don’t load, or aren’t responsive. Apps that crash, force, close, or freeze have no place in the Google Play Store anymore.

The new policy will take effect on August 31, 2024, and it could impact many apps in the Play Store, including some legitimate apps.

Of course, Google’s crackdown on limited and broken functionality apps isn’t a new initiative. In 2020, Google removed Mitron and Remove China Apps from the Play Store. Both apps were downloaded by millions of users, but they were removed due to violating Google’s spam and minimum functionality’ policy. As Google’s new policy takes effect, you should wait for the removal of more popular apps with millions of downloads from the Play Store.