If you have an Android device, you are probably well aware of the problems that have surfaced with your service recently. The operating system (OS) for these devices has been owned and operated by Google since 2005, when it acquired the startup behind Android and rewritten the OS from scratch. Over the past few months, Google has made several changes that have come at a cost to Android users.
The tech giant recently tightened billing requirements for app developers, prompting several companies to limit and remove certain features from their Android apps. In April 2022, Amazon stopped allowing Audible users to purchase audiobook titles with a credit or debit card on Android, Barnes & Noble withdrew the ability to buy digital books or other content from its Nook app, and Hulu. Removed the option for users to create one. Start a new account or a new free trial on its app. Now, another company has announced that some Android users will not be able to use its app at all. Read on to find out what might be preventing you from doing what’s on your phone now.
Read this next: Google issues yet another urgent warning to all Android users.
Shutterstock
In May 2022, Google announced that it was completely shutting down one of its Android apps later this year. According to the tech giant, the YouTube Go app will begin rolling out in August — although for Android users who haven’t already downloaded the app, it’s no longer available on the Google Play store.
The app, which was first launched in 2016, was designed to address problems with the main YouTube app, which helps Android users access the video platform even when “in locations where connectivity, data prices and low-end devices” native app working properly.
Now, another app may be out of reach for you, depending on when you last updated your phone.
Shutterstock
If you love playing games on your Android, you’ll want to make sure it’s updated. On June 13, software development company Niantic announced that the Pokémon Go app would no longer support devices running the Android 6 (or “Marshmallow”) OS. According to the company, Android users running Android 7 OS, also known as “Nougat” or higher, will not be affected by this change.
RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Shutterstock
Android 6 is one of the oldest operating systems for the tech giant, first released in 2015. Since then, Google has rolled out seven other major systems for these devices, with Android 13 being the latest to drop in June 2022. According to Niantic, the Android OS has had “some major improvements” since the release of Marshmallow in 2015.
“By removing support for Android 6, we are able to streamline our development process and focus resources on supporting new operating systems and technologies,” the software development company said. “A vast majority of Android users have migrated to Android 7 and above. As players migrate from older operating system versions to newer ones, we will periodically focus on the devices used by our player base. Let’s update our supported device requirements to do so.”
Shutterstock
Niantic notes that a “vast majority” of Android users have migrated to Android 7 OS or higher, with about 2.3 percent of all Android devices still using Android 6 OS as of May 2022, StatCounter reports. Given the reach of Android, that’s tens of millions of users. If you fall into that group, “you’ll need to update your OS to continue using Pokémon Go,” warns Niantic. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
“We encourage trainers to update their OS to continue playing without interruption,” the software development company said.
According to Google, you can find the latest Android updates available to you by going to “Systems” in your phone’s Settings app. “If you are not sure which version of the OS is installed on your Android device, you can find this information in the device settings. Go to Settings [then] General [then] About,” Niantic advised.
Read this next: Security experts have just issued this important warning to all Gmail users.
