Archive — US — techcrunch
Google Play sees 47% decline in apps since start of last year
Google Play has experienced a 47% drop in available apps from 3.4 million to 1.8 million since early 2024 due to stricter quality requirements and policies aimed at reducing spam and low-quality apps. In contrast, Apple’s iOS has seen a slight increase in app numbers. Google's changes include banning low-functionality apps and applying enhanced verification and review processes.
Key points
- Google Play's app count decreased from 3.4M to 1.8M (-47%) since early 2024.
- The decline is due to new quality standards set by Google, which expanded app review criteria to include banning low-functionality or static apps.
- Google's updated policies were influenced by the need to improve app quality and security, leading to 2.36M policy-violating apps being prevented from publication.
- Simultaneously, over 158,000 developer accounts were banned for attempting to publish harmful apps.
- Apple's App Store saw a slight increase in app numbers, from 1.6M to 1.64M, despite similar regulatory changes in the EU requiring trader status.
Why it matters
- Stricter app review processes reflect a growing global trend in digital marketplace standards to enhance user safety and app quality.
- The move echoes broader IT trends towards prioritizing security and quality in applications, especially within environments facing increasing cyber threats.
- The EU's new trader status regulation is part of a larger regulatory push for transparency and accountability in digital spaces, influencing how platforms manage app listings.
The significant drop in Google Play's app count highlights the platform's pivot towards quality assurance over quantity, indicating a shift in industry standards that could define the future of app marketplaces amidst growing regulatory scrutiny.