As of early 2024, Google Play had about 3.4 million apps available. Those days seem long ago, and the state has now seen a shocking 47% loss—a drop of nearly 2.0 million statewide to roughly 1.8 million. This drop can be attributed to a series of measures initiated by Google to enhance app quality and improve user experience on the platform.
In recent months, Google has acknowledged that its previously less stringent app review requirements contributed to an influx of lower-quality applications. Last summer, the company kicked off a new, massive purge of those apps. They were trying to address the transparency of their market. Appfigures also recently reported on this trend of missing apps. Authors attribute this reduction to the initiative even prior to the official start of the initiative.
To help prevent lowering quality, Google recently committed to increasing the baseline quality standards for apps next July 2024. This move is half of a larger initiative to raise the bar on app quality and usage. Our new intention is to make users always getting the best apps. In addition to these changes, Google is pouring money in a number of areas—including creating its own hardware—to strengthen its platform. It’s a new policy wrinkle—these investments go specifically toward advancing artificial intelligence to enhance threat detection. They feature stronger privacy protections and improved tools for developers, fostering a healthier ecosystem for app developers.
Despite such a drastic drop in apps, Google Play saw a significant increase in app submissions for the year 2024. As of this past April, the platform recently welcomed its 10,400th new release. That’s a robust 7.1% jump over the same time last year. This increase is a testament to how much pent up demand there is for launching new applications. Even as app numbers decline overall, the demand is still there.
The European Union adopted a similar trader status rule, which will take effect in February of 2024. To developers and consumers, this rule practically dictates the availability of apps. This regulation mandates developers to disclose their names and addresses in the app’s listing, promoting transparency and accountability within the app marketplace. We look forward to seeing these types of measures raise the quality of apps found on Google Play even higher.
The combination of these initiatives reflects Google’s commitment to creating a safer and more reliable platform for users and developers alike. By enforcing stricter quality controls and enhancing transparency through regulatory compliance, Google aims to cultivate an environment where high-quality applications can thrive.