Google mandates Android app developers to update their apps to the latest API levels.
Going forward, if the apps don’t meet the target API levels, they will not be available on the Play Store.
Google is rolling out a Play Protect update to older phones and thus resetting permissions.
Google Play Store clamps down on older Android apps that don’t match the target API level. This privacy measure will revoke permissions of outdated apps, or even prevent the user’s access to these apps on the Android app store. As a step toward this new security initiative, users with Android versions 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 will start receiving a Google Play Protect update now.
But while it does, let’s understand what this update changes and what the new Google Target API policy entails.
Google Play Store API requirements for Android Apps
Target API Level requirements for existing apps, starting November 1
Before we get into the new update from Google, you may want to know what the minimum API level and the target API level mean. Here on we will be talking about the latter which is the most recent Android version based upon which the app is built. Meanwhile, the former refers to the oldest Android version it is meant for.
Now, coming to the topic at hand.
At present, New Android apps must adhere to a Target API level within one year of a new Android OS release. In this case, that is Android 11 (API level 30) and from Android 2022, the Target API requirement will be raised to Android 12 (API level 31).
With the new announcement, Google extends the target API policy to existing apps, particularly old apps. If these don’t meet a Target API level within two years of the latest Android OS release, they will not be “available for discovery or installation for new users with devices running Android OS versions higher than apps’ target API level”.
So, basically, such apps won’t appear on the Play Store or be available for download. Users may find the app only if it supports the Android OS on their device.
Note that, with the release of every new Android OS version, this “requirement window will adjust accordingly.”
Also, if you have an older device running on Android 6 to Android 10, your device would soon get a Play Store update. This will reset the permissions of the apps on your device that haven’t been used in a while. It all will be done automatically and you don’t have to do anything.
Well, if you want, you can backup any old apps that you may have on your Android handset for if they go missing after November 1, you could sideload them.
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G. S. Vasan
Vasan is a word weaver and tech junkie who is currently geeking out as a news writer at Digit. View Full Profile
