Play Store app version numbers disappeared accidentally, says Google
Google recently removed the trusty permission overview from Play Store app listings only toquickly backtrack on the decisionafter outcry from users and developers alike. Now it looks like the company is in the process of removing another vital piece of information from app listings, though this time around, it was erroneous and is being fixed. For some, app version numbers have disappeared in Play Store listings.
9to5Googlespotted the omission of the version number in a few app listings. As you can see in the screenshots, the version number is no longer visible for phone apps. However, the same listings often still show you which release number is meant for Wear OS or other secondary platforms, which makes clear that the omission is an error.
In fact, a Google spokesperson told us, “This was due to an error and a fix is rolling out,” so we shouldn’t have to wait too long until version numbers are back in the Play Store for everyone.
Version numbers don’t mean as much as they used to in the past as many big app developers have changed their strategy. Instead of pushing out changes for all users with new app versions, companies are testing slightly different UI layouts and sometimes even content selection to gauge what works best for the majority of people. That means that more often than not, substantial updates roll out via a server-side push rather than an update of the package on your phone. Still, knowing the version number can sometimes be helpful when you run into issues, and so they can serve as an important part of troubleshooting.
Previously, Google already experimented withremoving the “Last updated” sectionfrom app info pages. While this isn’t always an indicator that something is wrong with an app or that it has been abandoned, having this kind of data available helps you gauge quickly if you can expect timely bug fixes or not. In the same vein, Google is alsohiding old and outdated appsfrom search now. It’s good to see that Google is stopping short of removing vital information like app versions, though.
UPDATE: 2022/08/04 11:00 EST BY MANUEL VONAU
Version numbers disappeared accidentally
Google has reached out to us and confirmed that version numbers disappeared accidentally. They should be back shortly. We have updated the article accordingly.
Thanks: Moshe
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