For Android users, the landscape of available applications has changed significantly over the past year. Since early 2024, the Google Play Store has seen its app count plummet from approximately 3.4 million to around 1.8 million, marking a staggering 47% decrease.
This decline contrasts sharply with the iOS App Store, which has maintained a stable app count of about 1.64 million during the same period. The dramatic drop in Android apps is not a coincidence.
Google has made concerted efforts to enhance the quality of its app marketplace by eliminating low-value or potentially harmful applications. According to Google, several policy updates and stricter enforcement have contributed to this significant reduction.
Key measures include:
– Implementation of stricter quality standards that target non-functional apps. – More rigorous developer checks, necessitating comprehensive verification and mandatory testing for new accounts.
– Enhanced review processes, utilizing both human and AI efforts to block millions of policy-violating apps—over 2.36 million in 2024—and ban more than 158,000 developer accounts. While these cleanup efforts undoubtedly play a role, other factors might also be influencing the decrease.
The introduction of a European Union regulation requiring developers to disclose their addresses earlier this year could have led to some removals. Interestingly, Apple enforced a similar rule without experiencing a notable drop.
Despite the app count decline, new app releases on Google Play have actually increased by about 7% year-over-year as of April 2025, suggesting that developers continue to create for the platform. For Android users, this potential for a more curated experience may enhance the discovery of quality apps, ultimately creating a safer and more enjoyable environment for downloading.
Johanna, known as ‘Jojo the Techie’, is an experienced mobile technology expert focused on the Google ecosystem. She offers valuable insights into technology trends and remains a trusted source for information on Pixel and ChromeOS.