1y ago

Google Play Store quietly rolls out feature to uninstall apps remotely

www.androidauthority.com

Google appears to have quietly rolled out a feature to the Play Store that allows users to remotely uninstall apps from other devices.

26 comments

I know it's sometimes informative, but I really hate the popularity of "$x quietly does $y" in headlines.
You want Google to run ads on TV or something? It's a tiny feature.
- Agreed, it's such a clickbaity tactic - makes it sound like they're revealing some dark secret Google wanted kept hidden, when in fact it sounds like a small but useful change to improve customer experience, but not something that they would make a big deal out of.
  
  Yeah. The title actually made me think they had rolled out the ability for Google to remove an app from my phone when it's been removed from the Play Store.
- "Google Slams Play Store with Remote Uninstall Update"
- It's probably more to mean they didn't make a blog post or a popup dialog or something
  But yeah a lot of media headlines and wording tends to make things as sensationalized as possible bc clicks or smth
Makes sense. You can install apps remotely. Why not uninstall?
is this so app makers can delete their apps on my phone when they go under or get pulled or decide to rob everyone?
- I don't think you even read the summary in the OP that describes exactly what this feature does. This is a feature for users for their owned devices. You can remotely install apps already. Now you can do the opposite.
  
  I thought the joke is that their real goal is to misuse it and they pretend it to be a feature.
  
  you're funny.
- Its for users to uninstall apps they installed.
  Google has always had the ability to remote uninstall apps in the Play Store services since day 1.
Joke's on you, Google! I uninstalled the Play store weeks ago!
They've had this ability for years, to remove copromosed apps from devices, they're just giving it to users now.
So you can you finally uninstall Play Store remotely?!
F-Droid>>>>
- By adding a free feature that doesn't make anything worse?
A boon to stalkers everywhere
- Care to elaborate ??? I don't see it, helping stalkers.
  
  Sure, a stalker installed a tracking or monitoring app on your phone, and later they remove it silently after they have what they want, making it harder for victims to know they were being monitored

26 comments