Google Play Store

Things have been quiet on Huawei's side of the mobile market lately, partly because of the attention that the likes of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip are getting. It's also partly because of the tension between the US and China have mellowed down a bit. That could end up getting the ban on Huawei lifted which puts it in a rather unusual position. Refuting an earlier report, Huawei clarifies that it isn't abandoning Google's apps and services for good but still leaves the door open for that possibility.

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Notifications are the bane of mobile life and numerous tools and articles have been made to help people get them under control. Many apps and mobile platforms themselves actually have functionality to turn off or at least dial down such notifications but the mere inertia needed to configure them has, unsurprisingly, turned many away. Now Google is taking matters into its own hands by removing one of the Play Store's update-related notifications though the end result might still be debatable.

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Huawei's troubles with the US government has indirectly resulted in Google's role in the Android ecosystem being put under a microscope. More than just being the main developer of the platform itself, its Google Play Store has become an indispensable part of the Android experience, despite being proprietary and requiring certification that may be blocked by the US government. Google has just released a report on "how" Google Play works and what it has done for the platform, which is also its indirect way of showing how important it is to Android phones.

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The Google Play Store has often been criticized for its lax security and screening of apps but there are times when it swings the other way. There have been times when Android's premier app marketplace seems almost too zealous in taking down violators that it takes down actually innocent or original apps along with other wrongdoers. The latest recipient of that ban is the popular FX File Explorer, accused of deceptive ad practices that came about by following Google's own rules.

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The tech market seems to be divided on opinions about Huawei and its chances of survival in light of the US blacklist. Some think it is indeed guilty of spying or at least illegal business practices while others, including Microsoft, thinks it is being treated unfairly. Some believe that Huawei is standing strong in the face of adversity but others suspect Huawei is spinning numbers in its favor. Despite all that uncertainty, Huawei seems pretty confident it can still reach its goal of being the top smartphone vendor even without Google's help.

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Despite trying to paint an image of being a serious, enterprise-friendly corporation, Google is still pretty much the stereotypical geek among the tech giants. It just loves to solve its problems with machine learning and AI, which is understandable given the amount of data it has to wrestle with. But while there are things that can be efficiently solved with advanced machine learning, some things, like recommending apps for users to install and use from Google Play Store, need a bit of human touch.

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The rumors were only partially correct. The US Commerce Department has indeed thrown Huawei a lifeline by granting it another Temporary General License extension but not the short 14-day period earlier believed. In fact, for the third time, Huawei is being given another 90 days to do business with US companies. Despite what looks like a generous reprieve, however, the fate of Huawei's mobile products, particularly the Mate 30 series, still remains uncertain because of the limits the extension imposes on Huawei's trade with US companies.

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The drama around Huawei's Google Play problem put a spotlight on the role that Android's premier app store plays in the mobile ecosystem. It is the official source of Android apps and advertises advanced detection and removal of malware or malware-infected apps. Given coverage tech news, however, it's clear there's still room for improvement. That's why Google has partnered with some mobile security companies to form the App Defense Alliance, promising to stop malware even before they have a chance to touch your phone.

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The Huawei Mate 30 Pro is probably one of the best Android smartphones to be released this year but almost every piece has to inform users about its most critical flaw. Due to conflicts with the US, Huawei is force to ship its latest and greatest without one of the most crucial parts of the Android experience: Google Play Store and services. Unfortunately, Huawei may have just closed the door on users who might have hoped to unofficially install Google's software on the phone.

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It isn't news that an Android app gets past Google's security system and stays on the Play Store to spread malware to unsuspecting users. Most of the time, however, those apps are blatant copies or ripoffs of popular apps and games. Rare but not unheard of is the case of a legit app carrying malicious code to catch users unawares. Unfortunately, that is exactly the case with the popular CamScanner app that, even more unfortunately, has been download more than 100 million times.

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Google's Material Design was praised for its bold use of colors and images despite the predominantly flat aesthetic. In v2 of the design language, it seems that Google threw all that out the window and adopted a predominantly light, white really, color scheme. It isn't exactly the most well-received change in Google's aesthetic tastes but that's not stopping it from rolling out the "visual refresh" which is now finally arriving at the Google Play Store, whether you like or not.

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Near the end of 2018, Epic Games made a lot of noise that criticized Valve's and Google's, but not Apple's, practice of taking a large chunk out of both direct app sales as well as in-app purchases or IAPs. This isn't really news, however, as the 30/70 revenue cut has long been in place and only now being questioned. Some apps and services have taken matters into their own hand and Tinder might be the straw that breaks the Google Play Store camel's back.

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