The Play Store is formally 10 years previous, and Google is keen to mark the event. On high of a brand new emblem in step with the tech large’s present aesthetic (see above), there is a promotion beginning July twenty fifth that provides 10 instances the standard Play Points to rewards program members who make purchases.

Google launched the Play Store in 2012 to unify all its on-line shops of the period below a single umbrella: Android Market (apps), music, e-books and movies. You may successfully purchase something Google provided via one web site or a handful of apps. For some time, you can additionally store a digital newsstand and {hardware} merchandise like Nexus gadgets and Chromebooks. The service has unsurprisingly been well-liked given its significance to Android, with over 2.5 billion individuals utilizing the shop each month throughout 190 nations.

The anniversary comes because the service is evolving. The firm rebadged Play Newsstand as Google News in 2018, and wound down Play Music in 2020 because it completed transitioning to YouTube Music. This yr, Google is pulling the Movies & TV part to place its content material within the TV app. The Play Store continues to be intact, nevertheless it’s significantly extra targeted than it was a decade in the past.

The Play Store has additionally endured its share of controversy. While the Play Protect anti-malware system and information security listings have made the shop extra reliable than in its early days, there are nonetheless occasional cases of shady apps dodging Google’s screening system. Google has additionally drawn flak for its insurance policies. Fortnite creator Epic Games and others have accused Google of stifling using third-party cost programs, and even blocking producer offers. Google even tightened its insurance policies this June, requiring {that a} host of apps use the Play Store’s billing system.

The European Union partly reversed that method with laws requiring entry to third-party cost platforms. Other regulators have demanded related modifications. As vital because the Play Store has been to Android and Google as an entire, there’s an opportunity it’ll lose a few of its clout within the years forward.