According to the latest information, the number of applications on the Google Play Store has decreased from 3.4 million to 1.8 million. In this process, there was a total decrease of approximately 47%. During the same period, the number of applications on Apple’s App Store increased from 1.6 million to 1.64 million.

Google Play Store deleted millions of applications

Google made significant changes to its Play Store policies in July 2024. Within the framework of the new rules, low-quality and dysfunctional applications were removed from the store. Content that does not provide any benefit to the user or is only for advertising purposes is no longer included.

Following this decision, a large-scale cleanup began in the app store. Not only existing applications, but also developer accounts were scrutinized. Google banned more than 158 thousand developer accounts due to suspicious activities.

In addition, more than 2 million applications were rejected on security grounds before being uploaded to the store. While human control was increased in the review processes, more stringent testing processes were initiated for new developers. Google also uses artificial intelligence-supported analysis in threat detection.

The new regulations that the European Union put into effect at the beginning of 2025 were also among the factors affecting this process. Developers are now required to clearly state their names and addresses in the app store. This rule has also led some developers to withdraw their applications.

With the changes made, the Google Play Store is moving towards providing a more secure, functional and quality environment. So what do you think about this issue? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.