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Google is making it easier to change your search engine and browser
With the Digital Markets Act (DMA) coming into effect in the European Union this week, Google is making major changes to its products and services.
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is coming into effect soon in the European Union (EU) with six big tech firms, described as "gatekeepers", primarily being impacted. These include Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft. The aforementioned firms have already started implementing changes to their affected services in anticipation of the law, and now, Google has shared some ways in which it is improving its compliance status in accordance with the DMA.
How to install Play Store and other Google apps on Windows Subsystem for Android
WSAGAScript is a tool that lets you easily patch the Windows Subsystem for Android to install the Google Play Store.
Windows Subsystem for Android is has been here for quite a while now. You can run it on any Windows 11 machine, though it comes preloaded with the Amazon Appstore instead of the Play Store. In case you're not happy with the mandatory Amazon Appstore integration, you should be happy to hear that the app sideloading process isn't difficult either. It is also possible to install a third-party Google Play Store client, but the lack of Google services in the Windows Subsystem for Android makes it a bit hard to use apps that are dependent on them, as we noted in our hands-on.
Google System Updates for July 2023 improve app content discovery and much more
Google Wallet might also get pass sharing
Aside from rolling out the July 2023 Android security patches to the eligible Pixel devices earlier this month, Google has also refreshed its Google System Updates support page to highlight all the changes included in this month's release. The new update brings a handful of Google Play Store improvements, some system management related enhancements, updated device connectivity features, and more.
Play Store won't open, load, or download apps? Here's how to fix common Play Store app problems
Unable to load the Google Play Store or download your favorite apps? Try these fixes to get it up and running again.
The Google Play Store is a simple application that comes pre-installed on your Android phone. It lets you access a marketplace with millions of apps and games that you can download on your device with just a few taps. The app itself works reliably well for the most part, but there are times when it starts to go wonky. You may notice occasional hiccups during which the Play Store takes forever to download or even load listings. It's particularly annoying when you're trying to download something important, and it keeps loading or throws an error message.
Google Play updates at I/O 2023 add AI-generated Play Store listings and security improvements
You might start seeing Google Play Store listings that are written by AI soon after Google's announcement of Play updates at I/O 2023.
Google announced a collection of new Play Store features on the developer side of the storefront at its I/O 2023 conference. The changes will affect how you find and install apps on the Google Play Store moving forward and confirm that app listing may be partially written by artificial intelligence. You also might see app listings curated for you specifically based on factors such as region and app usage. A few other security improvements protect the end user but also limit customization options. Though the updates weren't as flashy as the reveals of the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and the Pixel Fold, they'll bring quality-of-life shifts for Android users.
The 5 best developer features announced at Google I/O 2023
Google I/O brought a bunch of developer features, and these are some of our favorites.
Google I/O is underway, and it's a conference that, despite all of the hype, has often been primarily aimed at developers. The company will typically share its plans for the next year with developers, including changes coming to the Play Store or Android API updates. This year, the company unveiled some new generative AI technology, some changes with Flutter, and some new features in Firebase. These are five of the coolest things for developers that the company unveiled at Google I/O 2023.
Google Play system update for March 2023 includes new Wallet features, performance optimizations, and more
And a little something for loyalty card fans
Apart from monthly security patches for Pixel phones, Google also rolls out frequent Play system updates for Android devices. These releases aren't strictly once-a-month, though, and it turns out we did not have to wait very long at all for the next one this time. Matter of fact, March 2023's release note of Google System Updates went public a couple of days ago, but the initial list of changes was rather tiny. The company has now updated the changelog to highlight a few additional changes in the latest update.
Google Play System update for February 2023 includes improvements for Nearby Share and more
Keep those changes coming
Another month, another round of Google Play System Updates. After rolling out the February 2023 Android security patches to Pixel devices, Google has now outlined the changes coming to the Play services and Play Store this month.
Google Play system update for January 2023 adds new developer features, Play Protect improvements, and more
Another round of changes
After rolling out the this month's Android security patches to the eligible Pixel smartphones last week, Google has now laid out some of what Android users across the globe can expect from the January 2023 Google Play system updates, including improvements to Play Protect.
Google Play introduces a new way to help kids make purchases
Children now have the option to share Purchase Requests with their guardians
While the Google Play Store already offers a feature that lets children make purchases on the platform, it requires guardians to set up a family payment method and share it with supervised accounts. Google is now introducing a new tool called Purchase Requests that circumvents this requirement.
Google Wallet preps state ID & driver's license support with December 2022 Play System Update
The update also brings Cast and Nearby Share improvements
Although Google positioned its revamped Google Wallet app as a one-stop solution to help users store everything from payment cards to digital IDs, it did not offer support for government IDs and driver's licenses at launch. At the time, the company said that digital ID and driver's license support would make it to the app sometime later this year, and it seems like that time is finally here.
Google Play's Best of 2022: Here are the top Android apps and games of the year
BeReal, Breathwrk, Papers, Please, and Dislyte are definitely worth checking out
Developers submit thousands of apps and games on the Play Store each year. Google commemorates a handful of these submissions with its annual Best of Play awards in December. The awards span various categories and even include a Users' Choice award, for which Google takes votes around a month before announcing the winners. The company kicked off voting early in November this year, and we finally have all the results.
Google highlights a few more changes included in the November 2022 Play System update
The update brings new search formats for the Play Store and a new update prompt to help users resolve app crashes
After revealing some of the changes in the Play System update for November 2022 earlier this month, Google has now updated the changelog to highlight a few additional changes in the latest update. As per the updated changelog on the Google System Updates support page, the latest update will also bring critical fixes for Account Management and System Management & Diagnostics related services, new formats for search results on the Play Store, a new update prompt to help users resolve app crashes, some Google Wallet changes, and more.
Google details some of the changes in the November 2022 Google Play System update
The update will include a few Google Wallet tweaks and an update for Android's parental controls.
Google recently fixed an issue that prevented Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro users from installing the latest Play System update. Although it's just been slightly over a week since Google's latest flagships received the October 2022 update, Google has already shared some of the changes coming in the Google Play System update for November 2022.
Google Play system update for October 2022 adds pending update reminder on Android TV, fixes bugs, and more
The Google Play system update for October 2022 offers critical bug fixes, various improvements to the Play Store, and more.
After rolling out the October 2022 Android security patches to the eligible Pixel smartphones earlier this week, Google has now started pushing a fresh new update for the Google Play system. The new release brings several Google Play Store improvements, some Android TV related enhancements, updated system management services, and more.
As an Android app developer, there are many reasons why you might want to utilize an abuse detection mechanism to examine the target device’s software and hardware environment. Google's SafetyNet Attestation API is one such anti-abuse API that allows app developers to assess the Android device their app is running on. However, it will be deprecated by 2024 in favor of the Play Integrity API. Naturally, the modding community will soon need a practical and easy-to-use method to query Google Play Services about the device integrity properties. This is where Play Integrity API Checker comes in.
Google Kids Space receives a much-needed feature with the latest Google Play system update
The Google Play System Update for September 2022 brings Google Kids Space optimizations and account syncing and recovery improvements.
Google has updated its Google Play system update support page to highlight all the changes included in the September 2022 release. The latest update brings a few Google Kids Space improvements, along with a host of Play Store optimizations and bug fixes.
Latest Play Store update addresses the Google Play system updates "Check for update" bug
The latest update for the Google Play Store addresses a bug that made the Google Play system updates "Check for update" page inaccessible.
Shortly after Google announced the Google Play system update for August 2022, several users reported a bug that made the Google Play system update "Check for update" page inaccessible. The issue was quite widespread, with reports spanning devices from various manufacturers, including Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Nothing, and Motorola, running different versions of Android. Google now seems to have addressed this issue with a fresh Google Play Store update.
Google Play System Update for August 2022 brings a new AutoFill UI, Material You support for Android Help, and more
The Google Play System Update for August 2022 brings a new AutoFill UI, Material You support for Android Help, and more.
Google has updated its Google Play System Update support page to highlight all the changes included in the August 2022 release. The latest update brings a new AutoFill UI for smartphones, Material You support for Android Help, new features for the Play Pass and Play Points programs, new discovery features for the Play Store, and enhancements for Google Play Billing.
Google relaxes Play Billing requirements for EEA, but there are several catches
Developers in the European Economic Area (EEA) can now avail of payment systems outside of Google Play, though it s subject to restrictions.
Both Apple and Google have dealt with multiple antitrust cases across the European Union and the United States in recent times, with both companies facing a flurry of fines. Now Google is taking a step towards compliance with the recently passed Digital Markets Act, as developers targeting users in the European Economic Area (EEA) will be able to avail of alternative payment systems outside of Google Play. There's a catch though, as those developers will be subject to a 12% fee on the first $1 million of their revenue for a year, down from 15%.