For their mass takedown of bad Android apps categorized as copycats, apps with inappropriate content, and potentially harmful apps (PHA), Google credits their machine learning-based detection models and techniques which help them take action against bad Android apps and identify repeat offenders.
Almost 99% of Android apps with “abusive content” were removed before they reached Android users’ devices. Talking about copycat apps, Google kicked out 250,000 of such imposters living on Google Play.
The number of app takedown in 2017 is around 70% more than the apps Google deleted from the Play Store in 2016. The company also managed to remove around 100,000 developers behind such apps.
For the successful outcome of their year-round cleaning regime, Google also praises the Google Play Protect app scanning tool which reduced the install rates of PHAs by up to 50%.
Google can tap their back on the achievement but there is another concern that hasn’t been addressed properly for years–the irregular update schedule for Android devices which is the reason why mostly numerous manufacturers leave the devices deprived of features and security fixes. Even though Google is working on stuff like Project Treble, getting timely Android updates still seems to be a distant dream.
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