Google removes “Updated on” from Play Store listings yet again

Google is giving mixed signals about whether or not it wants users to have access to detailed information about apps on the Play Store. On the one hand, the company has added a new list item that highlights the minimum Android OS requirement for apps and is working on a Data Safety section to show how apps handle user data. On the other, it has removed the “Updated on” section from listings, which helped users check when an app received its last update.

This isn’t the first time Google has removed the “Updated on” section from Play Store listings. The company first removed the section for some users in November last year. However, after facing severe backlash, it soon reverted the change. Despite backtracking on its decision last year, the company has now removed the section again, according to recent reports on Reddit.

Like last time, the change seems inconsistent, and it doesn’t affect all users or apps. In our testing, we found that some app listings continued to display the “Updated on” section for some users. However, the same app listings didn’t show the section for others.

App info section with “Updated on” present on Galaxy Z Flip 3 running Play Store version 29.4.13-21

As you can see in the attached screenshots, the Xbox Game Pass, Zedge, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Hotstar app listings display the “Updated on” section on my phone, but on Aamir’s phone, the section has been removed.

App info section with “Updated on” section absent on Mi 11 Ultra running Play Store version 29.4.13-21

Interestingly, the inconsistency isn’t limited to the “Updated on” section. Android Police reports that the “What’s New” section, which displays the changelog for the latest update, also doesn’t show any info for some apps and users. This leads us to believe that these changes could either be a part of an A/B test or the result of a bug.

Screenshot: Android Police

Furthermore, 9to5Google reports that these changes don’t seem to affect the web version of the Play Store, and users can still check when an installed app was last updated in the “Manage apps & device” section on the mobile version.

Google is yet to provide any clarification on the matter. We’ll update this post with more details as soon as they become available.

---

Source: Reddit
Via: Android Police, 9to5Google

The post Google removes “Updated on” from Play Store listings yet again appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/KsIfFzv
via IFTTT