[ad_1] Since last spring, the government’s entity list ban against Huawei (and ZTE) has largely prevented US companies from working with them. Despite legal wrangling and trade negotiations between the two countries the ban is still in place, and in the case of Google, it means that while there are still updates and services available […]
Category: google play
Google is cracking down on apps with ‘disruptive’ ads
[ad_1] Google defines disruptive ads as ones that either interfere with device usability or display when the user isn’t actively using the app. For example, an app could serve a full-screen ad when a user unlocks their phone to make a call. These popups affect more than just users — advertisers end up paying for […]
Google will review Android apps that request background location info
[ad_1] The policy will change in April, but developers can ask for feedback on their use cases starting in May. There will also be a grace period for the first few months. Only new apps will need background location approval when August 3rd arrives, but Google will start removing existing apps without that approval on […]
Google pulls alleged UAE spying app ToTok from the Play Store, again
[ad_1] Google confirmed to TechCrunch that it did remove ToTok from the Play Store, but didn’t say why. The company did, however, make it clear that the app wasn’t pulled due to an outside request from, for example, a government agency. TechCrunch speculates that a policy violation is what caused the app to be removed. […]
Android saw a 98 percent drop in apps asking for call and text data
[ad_1] The internet pioneer also pointed to “improved vetting mechanisms” that stopped 790,000 policy-breaking apps from reaching the Play Store, and a May 2019 policy that asked developers to say whether or not apps were targeted at kids. Malware appeared to have ben kept at bay, too, with Google Play Protect blocking over 1.9 billion […]
Opera accused of offering predatory loans through Android apps
[ad_1] The conditions only got worse for borrowers who missed their payments. Falling short by just a day could raise the APR as high as 876 percent. Also, the apps reportedly scraped phone contacts to harass family, friends and others with calls and texts in hopes this would pressure customers into paying up. These same […]
House panel asks Apple, Google if app makers must reveal foreign ties
[ad_1] Lynch speculated that these countries could use the data to blackmail and recruit American government workers, or obtain “undue foreign influence” on US policy. He also imagined a scenario where hostile countries could use the data to profile everyday US citizens for the sake of future diplomatic and military battles. Apple and Google haven’t […]
Google announces the top Play Store downloads of 2019
[ad_1] Google Play users voted for their favorite downloads in each category. Call of Duty: Mobile ranked as the top game, and GlitchCam — which adds ’90s-style effects to your videos — was voted as the top app. Avengers: Endgame was voters’ favorite movie, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was their favorite […]
Instagram cracks down on app that snoops on private profiles
[ad_1] The app was still available on the Google Play Store as of this writing, and appeared to be popular with over 500,000 downloads since its April debut. Its presence online might be short-lived. Instagram was clear that Ghosty “violates our terms,” and planned “further enforcement” against the developer on top of the cease and […]
Stadia hits Google’s Play Store ahead of its debut this month
[ad_1] You’ll be able to use the app, which will eventually be available on iOS and other Android devices, to manage your account and controllers, buy titles and start games on Chromecast Ultra. Once you’ve signed in with a Google account, it’ll ask you for an invite code from the Stadia Founders or Premiere Edition […]