Overview

• Google has reduced the Play Store's app catalog by 47% since early 2024, dropping from 3.4 million to 1.8 million apps under new quality standards.
• The cleanup, launched in July 2024, targeted faulty, limited-functionality, and harmful apps, while also suspending over 158,000 developer accounts.
• Google employed AI threat detection and stricter app review processes to enforce compliance with its updated policies.
• In contrast, Apple’s App Store saw minimal changes, with a slight app growth and the removal of only 137,000 apps in February 2025.
• Google is consolidating its Play Games app into the main Play Store, signaling a shift toward a unified platform for gaming and app discovery.