Google Play (formerly Android Market) is a digital distribution service distribution service operated and
developed by Google Google.. It serves as the official app store for store for the Android the Android operating system, allowing users to browse and download applications developed with the Android software development kit (S!) and published through Google. Google "lay also serves as a digital media store, media store, offering music, maga#ines, books, movies, and television programs. It previously offered Google hardware devices for purchase until the introduction of a separate online hardware retailer, Google Store, Store, on $arch %%, &'%. Applications are available through Google "lay either either free of charge or at a cost. hey can be downloaded directly to an Android device through the "lay Store mobile app or app or by deploying deploying the the application to a device from the Google "lay website. Applications e*ploiting hardware capabilities of a device can be targeted to users of devices with specific hardware components, such as a motion sensor (for motion+dependent games) or a front+facing camera (for online video calling). he Google "lay store had over ' billion app downloads in &'% and has reached over &.- million apps published in &'%-. It has been the subect of multiple issues concerning security, in which malicious software has software has been approved and uploaded to the store and downloaded by users, with varying degrees of severity. Google "lay was launched on $arch /, &'%&, bringing together the Android $arket, Google $usic, and the Google e0ookstore under one brand, marking a shift in Google1s Googl e1s digital distribution strategy. he services operating under the Google "lay banner are2 Google "lay 0ooks,, Google "lay Games, 0ooks Games, Google "lay $ovies 3 4, 4 , Google "lay $usic, $usic , and Google "lay 5ewsstand.. 6ollowing their rebranding, Google has gradually e*panded the geographical 5ewsstand support for each of the services. Contents 7hide8
%9atalog content
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%.% Android %.% Android applications applications
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%.%. %. %.% %"lay Games
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%.& $usic
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%. 0ooks
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%.: $ovies and 4 shows
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%. 5ews publications and maga#ines
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%./ evices &;istory
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&.% &''<+&'%'
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&.& &'%%+&'%&
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&. &'%+&'%:
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&.: &'%+&'%/
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&. &'%-
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Interface
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: App moneti#ation
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"lay Store on Android o
.% Installation history
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.& 9ompatibility
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/Google "lay Services
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-;istory of app growth
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= Application approval o
=.% Application bans %' Application security
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%'.%Security issues
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%%"atent issues
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%&Gift cards
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% Availability
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%:See also
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%5otes
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%/>eferences
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%-?*ternal links
Catalog content7edit8 Android applications 7edit8 Further information: Android (operating system)
As of 6ebruary &'%-, Google "lay features over &.- million Android applications. 7%8 @sers in over %: countries can purchase apps, although Google notes on its support pages that "aid
content may not be available in some provinces or territories, even if the governing country is listed above.7&8 evelopers in over %' locations can distribute apps on Google "lay, though not every location supports merchant registration. 78 o distribute apps, developers have to pay a one+time B& registration fee for a Google "lay eveloper 9onsole account. 7:8 App developers can control which countries an app is distributed to, as well as the pricing for the app and in+app purchases in each country.787/8 evelopers receive -'C of the application price, while the remaining 'C goes to the distribution partner and operating fees. 7-8 evelopers can set up sales, with the original price striked out and a banner underneath informing users when the sale ends.7<87=87%'8 Google "lay allows developers to release early versions of apps to a select group of users, as alpha or beta tests.7%%8 evelopers can also release apps through staged rollouts, in which your update reaches only a percentage of your users, which you can increase over time. 7%&8 @sers can pre+order select apps (as well as movies, music, books, and games) to have the items delivered as soon as they are available. 7%8 Some network carriers offer billing for Google "lay purchases, allowing users to opt for charges in the monthly phone bill rather than on credit cards. 7%:8 @sers can reDuest refunds within :< hours after a purchase if something you bought isn1t working, isn1t what you e*pected, was bought by accident, or you changed your mind about the purchase. 7%8 Apps meeting specific usability reDuirements can Dualify as an Android Eear app.7%/8 Play Games7edit8 Main article: Google Play Games
Google "lay Games is an online gaming service for Android that features real+time multiplayer gaming capabilities, cloud saves, social and public leaderboards, and achievements. he service was introduced at the Google IF &'% eveloper 9onference, 7%-8 and the standalone mobile app was launched on Huly &:, &'%. 7%<8
Music7edit8 Main article: Google Play Music
Global availability of Google "lay $usic
Google "lay $usic is a music and podcast streaming service and online music locker . It features over :' million songs,7%=8 and gives users free cloud storage of up to ',''' songs. 7&'8 As of Hanuary &'%-, Google "lay $usic is available in /& countries. 7&%8
Books7edit8 Main article: Google Play Books
Google "lay 0ooks is an ebook digital distribution service. Google "lay offers over five million ebooks available for purchase,7&&8 and users can also upload up to %,''' of their own ebooks in the form of "6 or ?"@0 file formats.7
