Android apps in the Google Play store are now subject to AI-led quality tests, that will contribute to how often they’ll show up in searches.

Algorithmic method

In the same way that Google search famously ranks websites, the Android app store—Google Play—calculates uses a search and discovery algorithm to rank apps.

Recently, that algorithm has updated to incorporate markers of app quality, related to analysis by a tool called Android Vitals.

Better for users

In a post on the Android Developers blog, Google Play product manager Andrew Ahn noted that users ‘enjoy using apps and games which meet their performance and quality expectations’.

So, to improve Android user experience, certain apps are going to get harder to find on Google Play. These include apps that are:

• Are slow.
• Are inclined to crash.
• Exert undue pressure on a device’s battery.

With this in place, apps that are better coded and more efficiently designed should naturally rise to the top.

Watch your vitals

Ahn says the algorithm tweak has already led to an increase in app engagement, with greater usage and fewer uninstalls.

So, when developing apps for Android, read the detail in user reviews and make sure your developers address issues identified by Android Vitals.

Noticed any fluctuation in your app’s rank on Google Play? Tell us about it below.

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