Your favourite Android app could soon be deleted forever by Google
GOOGLE is set to hold a massive cleanout of its Play Store app marketplace which could lead to your favourite Android app disappearing forever.
Google is preparing for a big spring clean of its Play Store marketplace. It's been reported that almost 900,000 Android apps will be disappearing from the Google Play Store, with the Mountain View firm preparing to take down software that hasn't been updated for at least two years. This big clear out could lead to a third of the Android apps found on the Play Store being delisted.
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The reason Google is taking this action is to help better protect its users. This is because older apps don't take advantage of tools that have been released for operating systems and devs in the past few years that increase security.
As a result, older apps can have security flaws which aren't found on newer programmes.
Apple could be taking similar action for its App Store, according to a post by Cnet that uses figures from analyst firm Pixalate.
The iPhone and Android makers could be gearing up to delist 1.5million apps between them. Some 869,000 Android apps are reportedly at risk of being taken down while for iOS it's 650,000.
Google Play Store: How to update on an Android device
The listings for Android apps which are taken down will allegedly be hidden from view until a new update is pushed out.
But, if you're using an app from years ago that developers are no longer supporting it means you might not be able to download it ever again.
If you fall into this camp you have a few options. If you already have the app installed on your phone you can just make sure you don't delete it so you can continue using it.
However, this could open you up to potential security risks. Alternatively, you could delete the app from your phone to help better protect your phone and hope a new update gets pushed out in the future, but there's no guarantee that will happen, nor any guarantee you will be able to re-download it in the future.
Even if you do have to bid farewell to an app you use that developers long forgot, it will be for the best to help better protect the security of your device.
Chances are though, the apps you use the most have received regular updates.
Pixalate says 68 percent of apps on both the App Store and Play Store have received an update within the last two years.
While apps that receive updates more frequently tend to be the ones that are used the most. Pixalate analysis found 84 percent of the apps that have over 100 million downloads had received an update in the last six months.
