Google is preparing for a big clean spring in the Play Store market. It is reported that nearly 900,000 Android apps will disappear from the Google Play Store, with the Mountain View company preparing to remove software that hasn’t been updated for at least two years. Apparently this large can lead to a third of Android apps found on the Play Store being removed.
The reason Google is taking this action is to help better protect its users. This is because older apps don’t take advantage of the tools that have been released to the operating system and developers over the past few years to enhance security.
As a result, older applications may have security flaws that are not found on newer programs.
Apple is likely to take similar action against its App Store, according to a Cnet post using figures from analytics firm Pixalate.
iPhone and Android makers could be preparing to remove 1.5 million apps between them. About 869,000 Android apps are at risk of being taken down while for iOS 650,000.
The list of Android apps taken down will be said to be hidden from view until a new update is available.
However, if you’re using an app from many years ago that the developers no longer support, that means you may not be able to download it anymore.
If you fall into this camp, you have several options. If you already have the app installed on your phone, just make sure you don’t delete it so you can continue using it.
However, this can open you up to potential security risks. Alternatively, you can remove apps from your phone to help better protect your phone and hope a new update will roll out in the future, but there’s no guarantee that will happen, nor as there is no guarantee you will be able to download it again in the Future.
Even if you have to part with an app that you use that the developers have long forgotten, it will be the best way to help better protect the security of your device.
However, chances are that the apps you use the most have received regular updates.
Pixalate says that 68% of apps on both the App Store and Play Store have received an update within the past two years.
Although apps that receive updates more often tend to be the most used ones. Pixalate’s analysis shows that 84% of apps with more than 100 million downloads received updates in the last six months.
