Google Play Store

Smartphones have become an essential part of modern life but getting stuck at home made them even more critical. But as more and more people rely on the Internet and mobile devices, the importance of keeping these places safe from not just malware but also misinformation is becoming just as critical. Responding to the global situation, Google is making a few changes to its Google Play rules, especially when it comes to apps that relate to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

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The COVID-19 pandemic isn't just an opportunity for some to finally embrace the work from home life, it is also an opportunity for hackers to exploit people's newfound dependence on the Internet and apps. Of course, it does seem that it's business as usual for Android users as news of yet another malware sneaking into Google Play Store surfaces. Given how it has targeted even children's games, it's a worrying precedent that needs to be nipped at the bud immediately.

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What once may have been a fad is now one of the most expected features on any mobile platform and even desktops. It may still be debatable how much darkness is needed or how truly effective it might be, but Dark Mode support for apps is often requested or even expected to be there from day one. Despite Android 10 actually getting the feature, Google has been a bit slow in pushing it out to its own apps on other versions of Android. The latest to get that is Google Play Store and, fortunately, it isn't being forced on anyone.

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Apps get kicked out of the Google Play Store regularly for this or that policy violation. While some do end up being erroneous, most are valid cases of misbehaving or downright malicious apps. Few of those have had the audacity to return and repeat their offenses as much as Chinese app developer Cheetah Mobile, forcing Google to purge the store off any and all apps associated with the company. Unfortunately, that seems to have included one of the most popular benchmarking tools, whether or not it's actually warranted.

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It has been almost a year since Huawei came under the US government's ban hammer, effectively barred from doing business or making new acquisitions from most US companies. Over the course of the months, some of its partners, like Microsoft, have either voiced support for the embattled Chinese giant while others, like ARM, have found ways to circumvent the rather encompassing but still US-only directive. Huawei's biggest partner in the mobile market has been curiously mum but Google is now breaking its silence and it isn't looking good for Huawei.

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Google recently boasted that Google Play Store has netted $80 billion in revenue for developers. Those figures are, of course, only from the legitimate ways app developers earn money, either from outright app purchases, in-app buys, subscriptions, or even ads. The last source of income, however, is rather problematic even for Google who manages the sanctioned apps these apps can use. This is mostly due to less than savory advertising methods which the company has now given the boot from Google Play Store.

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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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