Google Play Store will soon stop showing outdated apps to Android users

Google has announced that it will soon start hiding the apps that are out of date and not up to the security standards of Play Store.

Google Play Store currently has millions of apps and you will never run out of options. But, the app store also includes some of the outdated apps that Google says a user shouldn’t download as they may not have the latest privacy and security features. So, the software giant has announced that it will soon start hiding the apps that are out of date and not up to the security standards of Play Store.

A report from Statista suggests that Google Play Store has as many as 3.5 million of apps, so there could be a number of outdated apps. While outdated apps are not that harmful, Google still wants Android users to have a secure experience. So, the company has announced in a blog post that the changes will come into effect in November.

“Starting on November 1, 2022, existing apps that don’t target an API level within two years of the latest major Android release version will not be available for discovery or installation for new users with devices running Android OS versions higher than apps’ target API level,” Google said in a blog post.

While the changes will be made by the end of the year, you don’t have to worry about losing access to old apps that you might have on your phone. Google has just decided to hide the apps, which basically means that those won’t be immediately visible and one will have to dig a little deeper into Play Store to find them. Even if you decide to remove a particular app and then re-install it for some reason, you will still be able to download it. But, if you have never used an app that Google considers outdated, then you won’t be able to find it on Play Store.

Google says all the existing apps on Play Store that don’t target an API level within two years of the latest major Android release version will be affected by the change in the policy. In simpler terms, the apps that are targeting Android 10 or older versions won’t be discoverable or available for installation to new users.

“In addition to the Google Play features and policies that are central to providing a safe experience for users, each Android OS update brings privacy, security, and user experience improvements. To ensure users realize the full benefits of these advances — we collaborate with developers to ensure their apps work seamlessly on newer Android versions,” Google said.