Google appears to be developing new UI for its voice search feature in the Play Store. On top of a new look, it also adds search history.

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.

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 blocked 2.3 million Android app submissions to the Play Store in 2024 due to violations of its policies that made them potentially risky for users.

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

Google Play is rolling out "Verified" badges for select VPN apps to make it easier for users to find trust services. Apps with the badge prioritize user

VPNs must also have at least 10,000 installs and 250 reviews, and have been published on the Google Play store for at least 90 days. In addition to this, the VPN must submit a Data Safety declaration, detailing how user data is collected, and opt-in to independent security reviews.

Google is celebrating the Lunar New Year, marking the start of the Year of the Snake with a new Google Doodle game. Here's how to play.

Comparing these figures with 2023 and 2022, Google showed an increase in the number of blocked apps and app developer accounts. The year before, it blocked 2.28 million, and in 2022 - 1.5 million. As for developers,

Apple wants to ensure it has a voice in the remedies trial for the Justice Department’s search monopolization case against Google, and filed an emergency motion to stay the proceedings while it appeals the district court’s denial of its request to be more directly heard in the case.

When it comes to the Android threat landscape, we’re into the science of big numbers. Google describes “a vibrant ecosystem with billions of users around the globe and millions of helpful apps,” and so it’s little surprise that the number of threats it intercepts and removes are just as large and impressive.