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Google May Soon Remove Apps With No Privacy Policies From The Play Store

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It looks like privacy policy rules are getting tougher on Google’s Play Store platform for the Android operating system. While previously developers could just wing it in terms of displaying privacy policies, Google seems to have put its foot down this time. What happened? Google has recently informed developers operating on the tech giant’s Play Store that any apps which fail to properly provide a policy regarding that respective app’s take on privacy matters will suffer consequences which end with the termination of said app. In other words, if your app doesn’t have a privacy policy, say goodbye to Google Play Store. This is especially the case for app developers that have their apps request sensitive data from users. In this type of case, privacy policies and an agreement on disclosure are absolutely mandatory if you aim to have a top charting application on Apple’s App Store and now on Google’s Play Store as well. It appears that neglecting to provide such a policy actually goes against Google’s own User Data Policy, according to the Android developers. An email was sent out to developers with flagged apps, letting them know what’s up and how their apps will be treated by the Play Store management if they fail to comply in a timely manner. The email also let developers know that their apps were requesting sensitive information, making them appear clearer in Google’s crossfire. So what counts as sensitive data? Data such as content provided by the usage of a phone’s camera; Data that comes from the phone’s microphone; Data that is a result of scanning or analyzing a user’s accounts and contacts; Data pertaining from the user’s phone and phone plan including data traffic. Basically, personal information that specifically and particularly pertains to a user. Or in another words, personal data. Google did not just scold these developers, but also offered them information on what they need to provide in order to continue operating on Google’s platform. Android Developers have to provide proof of a privacy policy being present not only on the app’s Google Play Store page, but also within the app itself. They have to link Google to the exact locations of these privacy policy copies. The privacy policy in question must contain very specific information regarding how the app is going to access, analyze and use private and sensitive information from the user’s phone. What happens if they don’t comply? Apparently, Google is giving developers time until the 15th of March to get this little “assignment” done and turn it in. For those wondering what might happen if a developer just chooses to ignore Google’s warning, the consequences are severe. There are talks about a “limited visibility on the Play Store” type of punishment, but more likely than not, the punishment is complete removal. Developers finding themselves in a defiant mood should know that they are betting their app’s access into the Play Store. The bet is actually a pretty safe one, but not in the favor of developers. Taking example Google’s move comes after Apple has instated something similar for its App Store platform. The iPhone manufacturer has decided that all iOS apps must use HTTPS instead of HTTP. This would be a security measure that sought to bring more security to the platform through adopting a safer alternative to HTTP. Apple did not yet set a deadline or a clear explanation of what the consequences would be in case of not complying in time, but one can easily guess. A report claims that over 70 popular applications from within Apple’s marketplace currently feature vulnerabilities that can lead to data theft and other serious detriments. This might be the type of thing that pushed Apple into adopting its new security measures, and maybe Google has found a similar drive. We need better security It has been widely agreed upon that you can never have enough security. Due to the state of things as they currently are, internet and mobile security are very sensitive subjects. Attackers just love a good mobile platform vulnerability they can exploit, as well as vulnerability in general. With cyber-attacks at an all-time high, it’s no wonder that the big corporations are looking to strengthen their defenses and make sure that their platforms are not compromised. More security measure enforcements are bound to be on their way, but until we learn more about Google’s plans we might see a couple of non-compliant apps get kicked off the Play Store due to lack of a privacy policy. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/google-may-soon-remove-apps-with-no-privacy-policies-from-the-play-store/

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How Google Play Store Does Better Than The Apple App Store

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Throughout history, pop culture has always presented us with a few choices that would split most people into two camps. These battles would go global and often times, the side you stuck with said a certain thing about you. You probably know a couple of them and have been on one side or another in some case. Just a couple of examples would be Coke vs Pepsi, Xbox vs PlayStation, Nike vs Addidas and so on. In more recent times, we see another battle erupting at the heart of the tech market. To be more specific, we’re talking about iOS vs Android. The two leading mobile device operating systems have been brawling it out ever since they were released. But as some of you know, mobile platforms are very dependent on the quality of the app store built for them. That means that the marketplace can make or break the mobile OS, so it’s no wonder that many people want to know which platform is better and why. In this article we will shed some light on the subject and give you another perspective may be. No doubt that Apple’s iOS App Store has its strengths, but let’s see how Google’s Play Store manages to come out on top and in what departments. App developers have an easier time on the Play Store There are two sides to this argument. Let’s start off by looking at Apple’s App Store. The platform has made a name for itself as provider of nothing but top quality. Since its release, the App Store has only allowed the top quality apps to pass and thus has gained a reputation for excellence. This is something that pleases the user community, since they are far less likely to encounter bugs or problems with the iOS version of an app. However, from a developer point of view, it can get quite troubling to know that all the hard work you put into your app could be for nothing. Because of these facts, iOS versions of apps do tend to be more popular and also get priority in the development queue over the Android counterpart. However, these are also the reasons why many app developers stick with Android. On Google’s side, developers have an incredibly lower chance of getting rejected. Also, on Android you will see a far wider selection of applications, without taking anything away from Apple’s collection. Apps that significantly alter the aspect or functionality of the entire operating system are available on the Play Store whereas the iOS marketplace lacks in that department. Google Play Apps are seen easier than App Store apps After putting in the work to create an app, then getting past the admission part, developers start worrying about how many people actually see their app in the store, or how visible it is to those searching for it. It is a top concern for developers that when people search for their app, they would get a direct result that will score their app more hits. This isn’t always the case, unfortunately, and that’s to do with how each marketplace handles search queries. Let’s take a look at Apple’s model. In the App Store, developers get a special box when submitting their app. There, they put down all the keywords for their app, and if someone is to find it in the store, they would have to search for one of those keywords. Needless to say, that reduces the total number of people that find, discover or stumble upon your app by quite a lot. Google on the other hand has its store set up so that when a user is searching for something, it will match the search query with app names, app descriptions, and pretty much everything else related to apps. This maximizes the chances of you finding what you were looking for, because it checks every piece of text on the platform to find something matching what you searched for. This is why many app developers choose Android as their development platform, because they have a guaranteed larger discovery rate right off the bat. Google Play Store tells you more about the app If it’s a popular app, it’s probably available on both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. You can check out one of your favorite apps on both the App Store and the Play Store to see just how much different the two app pages are. If you don’t have mobile devices on both platforms, you can always access the pages from your computer. On the App Store, you have a very minimalistic approach to app description, with just some screenshots and bits of information scattered across two columns. The only critique is from app reviews which are displayed on the page as a sort of encouraging factor for users that want to try out the app. The Play Store offers just one column, and you just scroll down to gradually learn everything there is about the app. You have screenshots as well as video (which is very important because it gives you the best pre-install notion of the app). Also, you get information about how other users are finding the app and you can filter comments so that you see them by the phone model comment leavers are using. You can even sort them to see the ones from your friends, so you can get a more personal endorsement from the app. Finances are a less stressful on Android’s store Money is a very important factor when it comes to mobile apps. Even though some of the mare free, it is no secret or surprise that all app developers submit their creations in the hopes of getting some monetary gains or at least recognition that would boost their careers and thus lead to fruitful jobs. When it comes to Play Store apps, these are a lot cheaper and often times free, in comparison to Apple’s platform. This is because iOS developers charge more

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Factors that can Boost the Mobile App Ranking in the Google Play Store

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One of the most challenging roles for the app developers today is to optimize the mobile app ranking in the app store. If you are an Android App Developer, then this task becomes even trickier as the numbers of mobile applications on Google Play Store according to a statistics of December 2017 have already crossed 3.5 million. When the customer retention and engagement is very important to keep your app on the top, you need an acute strategy to deal with your competitors. However, the users can churn your app within no time and this would be a major setback to boost your app ranking. So, don’t fall a prey into the pit and just look forward to improving your mobile app ranking in the Google Play Store. How Does Google Play Store Rank the Apps? Well, you must have heard about website ranking on the various search engines; similarly, the apps too are ranked in the Google Play Store. The Google Play Store uses different algorithms and some determining factors to rank the app. These may include the total number of downloads by users, the app ratings and reviews, the app retention time on the Smartphones, how quickly is it getting uninstalled after the download and whether or not it is connected with social media links. The Role Played by App Store Optimization (ASO) You know that App Store Optimization or ASO is very important in determining the success rate of your app. In fact, according to a study, 50% of the downloaded Android Apps were discovered through app store searches. So, it becomes imperative to pay attention on the ASO and if you miss out that your ranking would certainly decline. Undoubtedly, ASO has been identified as the essential marketing channel and here the same process is followed as like someone searching for a keyword. Thus, keyword holds the key. The App Store Optimization also has the potential to attract large set of targeted audiences. It is cost effective too. It also helps in building the trust factor of the users and increases your conversion rate as well. While you are targeting the audience via keyword, it is important to select the right keyword. You need to focus on the relevance, difficulty and traffic while defining the keywords. You have to search for lower difficulty score in order to rank your app higher. Choosing the App Title or Name that Fits Best You already have become aware of how vital the search is so as to optimize your app; and so to further improve the chances of app discoverability, choosing a perfect name or title for the app becomes crucial. Remember, the users will find your app by typing the initial keywords and so it must be selected wisely. Moreover, it should also clearly define what your app is all about even before a user downloads it. You need to use the main keyword in the app title so that finding the app becomes easier. However, don’t go for similar sounding names of the popular apps that are already ruling the market. This will decrease the chances of discovering app as Google will direct the user to the popular app in place of yours. Paying Attention to the App Rating Review and UX The app ratings and reviews hold a key position when it comes to boosting the rank of your app in the Google Play Store. According to a statistic, about 92% customers read the reviews today before downloading an app as compared to 88% in 2014. So, it cannot be ignored at any cost. Every android app developer tries to build an app that receives 5 star rating from the audiences. But only handfuls are successful. This is because in order to get best rating you have to focus on offering compromising product and service with unmatched User Experience. Adding Description of the App So, when you are adding the description of your app, make sure to be precise and short. You need to make your description relevant and at the same time make users aware of what your app does. Please take the note that Google takes the vital keywords from your description and not from the keyword bar in the Google Play Store. Another important fact to keep in mind is that Google allows you a maximum of using 4000 characters only. So, ensure to make the best use of the available space. However, you need to note that your description is not keyword stuffed. You can use it twice or thrice. Lastly, remember that the first 167 character of your description is actually the meta description for search engine. Make your description attractive and appealing to the audiences. Give Due Importance to Screenshots, Graphics and Videos The screenshots and the app designs are optimal techniques one can adopt to get higher ranking on the Google Play Store. It actually shows a glimpse of your app to the user before the final download. So, it needs to be ensured that you are uploading and using High Definition Screenshots comprising of all sizes to boost visibility and bettering the app ranking. With Google App Store you can also exhibit the details of the app through the videos and inform about the highlighting features of the app. So, the users can get a pre-idea of the app. Graphics too plays a pivotal role in improving the ranking and you have to be very careful while designing it. The app icon is another important tool that will instantly draw the attention of the users. Getting Across the Right Set of Customers If the app needs to get a higher ranking, then the developer has to get across the right set of targeted audiences. You would have to take into account which age group people would use your app maximum and define your strategies accordingly. So, the job in hand is to find the right potential audience. Focusing on App Promotion App promotion is one of the

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