The number of games and apps on Google Play is measured in millions, but many of them are outdated or have not been updated for a long time. The company undertook to solve the problem in a radical way – announcing the removal of all “violators” from the store search this fall.

The new Google policy will take effect November 1, 2022. After this date, apps with two-year-old and older APIs will be hidden from the app store search engine. According to the company, software that hasn’t been updated for a very long time or is designed for an older version of Android will have security holes.

To avoid “sanctions”, developers will have to update applications in a timely manner, focusing on the minimum API level, which will increase with each new release of the operating system. Otherwise, smartphone owners simply will not be able to download them from the store, even knowing the exact name.

Android 13 OS will be introduced in the fall – thus, only applications designed for Android 10 and above will meet the new requirements. It is noted that the innovation will affect only users who have never installed outdated programs. Technically, they will remain on Google Play and will be available for re-download on already used devices.