Google's app store is encountering an issue on Android devices that's hampering user experiences.

If you’re waiting for TikTok to be available for download—or update—again, you may have to practice patience. Here’s why.

DeepSeek app hits the top spot in the Google Play Store after conquering the Apple App Store as AI fans flock to try out the new LLM.

Chinese AI lab DeepSeek's Android app has taken the No. 1 spot on the Google Play Store, days after the chatbot app clinched the top spot on the App Store.

AI became a hot topic. Its influence even bled into the Google Play security division, which used AI in 92% of app security reviews.

We’re talking permission abuse, which has always been a serious threat to users. A new report is just the latest “alarming” wake-up call, “uncovering alarming security and privacy concerns.” This latest research has also exposed “hardcoded secrets embedded within some apps… which poses a serious risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.”

Google has already announced a security-checking Google Play VPN badge system two times now, but it's here to announce it again.

If you search for TikTok on the App Store, you’ll see a message saying, “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in,” while Google Play says, “Downloads for this app are paused due to current US legal requirements.”

As previously stated, this Verified badge is rolling out for VPNs that are "trusted" for protecting your data. The post adds that VPNs (virtual private networks) like NordVPN, hide.me, and Aloha are among the first to have gone through the necessary hoops to demonstrate a higher level of security/safety.

Google Play will now display verification badges on approved VPNs as a way to “highlight apps that prioritize user privacy and safety,” the company announced on Tuesday. The new badge will appear on a VPN app’s details page and within search results, proving that it meets specific standards outlined by Google.

In 2024 Google claims that it blocked just over 2.3 million potentially risky Android apps from the Play Store mostly due to policy violations that would make them dangerous for Android users.