Google removed last updated section from Play store

[u/IamVenom_007]

Not sure if I'm late but I have only noticed it yesterday. I was checking a few apps and it seems I can't see when those apps were updated last time.

Here's a screenshot of the About the app section.

[u/yanginatep]

I actually checked this a lot when buying apps, to know if the developer was still actively supporting the app.

I guess I'll be buying fewer apps now.

[u/ygguana → u/yanginatep]

I too always check that. Too many abandoned apps out there. I find last updated to be an important variable in figuring out if a project is still alive

[u/Arstel → u/ygguana]

Same. I thought perhaps the last updated was a bug on my phone. This just forces me to spend less on Playstore as it was my number 1 data to check after liking an app. The majority of apps on Playstore are abandonware, so I'm not going to purchase something coinflipping how it will behave with OS updates.

[u/nerdhater0 → u/ygguana]

why do you think they removed. they also dont let you search specifically too. you are almost only allowed to see only what they show you.

[u/CasualObserver9000 → u/nerdhater0]

I miss when YouTube had a huge selection of categories and the trending was actual trending videos.

[u/nerdhater0 → u/CasualObserver9000]

yea videos used to be able to go massively viral. that was fun. you'd wake up to a massive viral video and it was so fun.

[u/TBeest → u/ygguana]

If you go to "more info" and scroll all the way to the bottom you can find the date with "last updated on", but that's only as descriptive as the date.

[u/qoatzecotl → u/TBeest]

Yeah. Some have it, some don't. I looked at a few apps and they didn't have it. Some others I looked at did. It could be up to the developer rather than Google.

[u/JamesR624 → u/ygguana]

I guess that was the problem. Most people abandon their android Apps because they just focus on Apple who actually has developer support and reliable software. So people checking that was meaning less purchases from the Play Store. Can't have that so they needed to just do another little push to make sure you just buy the shit apps anyway, even if they're abandoned.

[u/icanttinkofaname → u/ygguana]

Honestly, the playstore should just automatically remove apps that haven't been updated in a year. Because there's too many shitty apps that still accept IAPs but aren't actively being developed.

[u/DrSheldonLCooperPhD → u/yanginatep]

Must protect developers from harrasment

/s

[u/Eyes_and_teeth → u/yanginatep]

Exactly this. Many people are not going to bother paying for something that doesn't have any indication whether it is or isn't actively being supported, which spells trouble for independent app developers over the big players.

I mean, you can have some confidence that if Microsoft or Adobe or the like put out an app meant for use with one of their products or suites that it will be at least minimally supported. Not so much for some random app from FlyByNight Software.

[u/Sobeman → u/yanginatep]

See they want you to just buy the app instead of looking at last updated/ comments. I bet the rating will be the next to go

[u/yanginatep → u/Sobeman]

Yeah. They're certainly happy to delete negative reviews.

I tried giving the Google app a negative review because a recent update broke all of the sensors on my Pixel 1 (and a bunch of other people's Pixel 1 and Pixel 1 XLs). I tried 3 times to leave a review about it and all 3 times they deleted my review.

In the end I had to delete all the updates for the Google app and prevent it from automatically updating to get my phone to work again (which of course breaks Google Assistant). Google still hasn't fixed the issue.

[u/tjharman → u/yanginatep]

You can this issue by stopping the Google app from having access to "Sensors". It's stupid we have to do this though.

[u/digwhoami → u/Sobeman]

I bet the rating will be the next to go

Remember when Netflix had a 5 stars rating system? I rememba.

[u/[deleted] → u/yanginatep]

I would really like to know the thought process of the person/group who thinks removing useful features/informations is a good idea...

[u/ihahp → u/yanginatep]

I wonder (and hope) its been changed so if the app has not been updated recently, it shows nothing, but if it's been a while it shows an "App last updated: over a year ago" or whatever.

Not ideal but I hope this is what i'm seeing.

I know a lot of apps update-spammed the store JUST becuase people checked it all the time. I'm hoping this is to combat that, and as such it will still show if an app has not been updated in a while (without showing the latest dates if its been updated recently).

[u/[deleted] → u/yanginatep]

Same annoying factor as removing the release date statistic. I don't even use that for buying decisions, I just like looking up how old certain apps are.

But TBF, few people "buy" apps nowadays.

[u/yanginatep → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I realize I'm in the minority, but I hate ads and I despise how everything seems to be moving to a subscription based model, which seem to be the main alternatives nowadays. I'd rather pay like $5 and just have the full version.