If you own an Android device, you're likely well aware of the issues that have popped up with your service lately. The operating system (OS) for these devices has been owned and operated by Google since 2005, when it acquired the startup behind Android and re-wrote the OS from the ground up. In 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, which prompted 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 purchase digital books or other content from its Nook app, and Hulu removed the option for users to make a new account or start a new free trial on its app. Now, another company has announced that certain Android users won't be able to use its app at all. Read on to find out what you might be barred from doing on your phone now.
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Google previously announced that it was getting rid of another Android app.
ShutterstockIn May 2022, Google announced that it was killing off one its Android apps altogether later this year. According to the tech giant, the YouTube Go app will begin shutting down in August—although for Android users who have not already previously downloaded the app, it's already no longer available on the Google Play store.
This app, which was first launched in 2016, was designed to address problems with the main YouTube app, helping Android users access the video platform even when "in locations where connectivity, data prices, and low-end devices" kept the original app from working properly.
Now, another app might be inaccessible to you, depending on when you last updated your phone.
Some Android users have now lost the ability to use a different app.
ShutterstockIf you like playing games on your Android, you'll want to make sure its updated. On June 13, software development company Niantic announced that the Pokémon Go app will no longer support devices running on the Android 6 (or "Marshmallow") OS. According to the company, Android users running on the Android 7 OS, also referred to as "Nougat," or higher will not be affected by this change.
There have been several updates since the initial release of Android 6.
ShutterstockAndroid 6 is one of oldest operating systems for the tech giant, having been 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, there have been "some major improvements" to Android OS in the time since Marshmallow was released in 2015.
"By removing support for Android 6, we are able to streamline our development process and focus resources on supporting newer 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 periodically update our supported device requirements to focus on the devices our player base uses."
Developers recommend you update your OS if you're running on older systems.
ShutterstockDespite Niantic noting that a "vast majority" of Android users have moved to Android 7 OS or higher, nearly 2.3 percent of all Android devices still use the Android 6 OS as of May 2022, Statcounter reports. Given Android's reach, that's tens of millions of users. If you fall into that group, "you will need to update your OS to continue to access Pokémon Go," Niantic warned.
"We encourage Trainers to update their OS to continue playing without any interruptions," the software development company added.
According to Google, you can get the latest Android updates available for you by going to "Systems" in your phone's Settings app. "If you are not sure which version of 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.
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