The Play Store app purge focuses on lower-quality, likely higher-risk apps, most of which are free but which open users to malware or fraudulent ads or subs. And now, even when apps have not yet been flagged by Google, Android 15’s new live treat detection can flag risks as soon as they exhibit suspicious behavior on your phone.

Genuine developers also stand to benefit from this, as they can work harder to improve their app's quality and engagement to ensure the warning goes away. It would also push new developers to release quality apps on the Play Store, as poor metrics could otherwise lead to warnings appearing on their listing page.

For every incredible, must-have app on the Play Store, there are dozens of low-effort, ad-ridden, useless options as well. There's a lot you can do yourself to try to avoid these shovelware apps as you peruse the Play Store: Pay attention to reviews,

Google’s mission to make Android more like iPhone continues, at least when it comes to security and privacy, narrowing the gap. Android 15 moves the bar significantly, with a raft of updates including AI-based live detection of malicious apps and even cellular network defense. But there are also huge changes coming to Play Store.

The Google Play Store could soon let you identify if an app is of low quality using three types of precautionary messages on the app's page.