This is happening just a few days after Google removed and then reinstated the permissions overview
Google recently removed the trusty permission overview from Play Store app listings only to quickly backtrack on the decision after 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. For some, app version numbers have disappeared, making it more difficult to understand at a glance which update you’re about to install.
9to5Google spotted 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 could either indicate that the omission is an error that Google will fix in a bit or that Google will still have to remove the version number across the board.
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 with removing the “Last updated” section from 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 In the same vein, Google is also hiding old and outdated apps from search now. Google’s quest to remove details from Play Store listings might make for a less overwhelming experience, but it comes at the cost of less educated decisions. We can only hope that this trend doesn’t continue.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment.
Thanks: Moshe
