Google Play Store metadata rules updated to improve customer satisfaction

The Google Play Store is a dependable source of content as it is, but it is also true some developers don't follow the best practices when publishing their apps. This is why the Search Giant has updated its metadata rules page, with examples of how to make your app more relevant and appropriate.

Developers should keep in mind following these standards is to be taken seriously, and infringing on these regulations may cause their apps to be taken down. The idea is to make app listings less misleading, irrelevant, excessive or inappropriate. Google is asking developers to avoid user testimonials, excessive details, misleading references to other apps and repetitive, excessive, or irrelevant keywords.

See also: 15 best Android apps102

Here are some examples of inappropriate text, images, or videos within your listing:

• Imagery or videos with sexually suggestive content. Avoid suggestive imagery containing breasts, buttocks, genitalia, or other fetishized anatomy or content, whether illustrated or real.
• Language inappropriate for a general audience. Avoid profane and vulgar language in your app listing. If it is a critical element of your app, you must censor its presentation within the Store listing.
• Graphic violence prominently depicted in app icons, promotional images, or videos.
• Depictions of the illicit usage of drugs. Even EDSA (Educational, Documentary, Scientific, or Artistic) content must be suitable for all audiences within the Store listing.

Here are a few best practices:

• Highlight what's great about your app. Share interesting and exciting facts about your app to help users understand what makes your app special.
• Make sure that your app's title and description accurately describe your app's functionality.
• Avoid using repetitive or unrelated keywords or references.
• Keep your app's description succinct and straightforward. Shorter descriptions tend to result in a better user experience, especially on devices with smaller displays. Excessive length, detail, or repetition can result in a violation of this policy.
• Remember that your listing should be suitable for a general audience. Avoid using inappropriate text, images or videos in your listing.

Some examples of violations have also been given:

With this update Google aims to offer a better user experience people can trust more. And we certainly believe there are plenty of spammy apps in the Google Play Store, so this should be a good move for a better future. How many apps with annoying metadata have you encountered?

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Hongkongers can now use Android Pay in stores and in apps

Good news for people in Hong Kong: you can now use Android Pay to make purchases at locations like 7-Eleven and McDonald's as well as in apps.

See also: Alert: some cards losing Android Pay support October 14th11

Google just announced that Android Pay will be finally making its way to Hong Kong. This means that as long as you have an unrooted, NFC-enabled Android device running Android 4.4 or higher, you will be able to create virtual cards just by downloading the Android Pay app. All you have to do is wake up and unlock your phone, hold the back of the device against the contactless payment terminal, and voila, your payment has gone through! No need to open up the actual app.

All you have to do is wake up and unlock your phone, hold the back of the device against the contactless payment terminal, and voila, your payment has gone through! No need to open up the actual app.

According to Google, its contactless payment system is already accepted at over 5,000 locations in Hong Kong where contactless payments are accepted. These include 7-Eleven, Circle K, Fortress, Mannings, Maxim's Cakes, MX, McDonald's, Pacific Coffee, PARKnSHOP, SmarTOne, Watsons, Wellcome and more. Just like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, you can store your gift cards and loyalty cards on Android Pay as well. To see the full list of stores that support the app, visit Google's website.

You'll also be able to use Android Pay for in-app purchases. Currently it's limited to apps like Boutir Collect, Deliveroo, Kaligo, Klook, and Snaptee support Google's payment system, but Google says more support is coming soon including from Uber.

Right now, Google notes that the following cards will work with Android Pay:

• VISA cards from BEA;
• DBS;
• Dah Sing Bank;
• Hang Seng Bank;
• HSBC; and
• Standard Chartered Bank.

There are no limits as to how many virtual cards you can add, and there is even an option to choose your default payment card. If you are a merchant looking to use Google's contactless payment service, you can visit the Android Pay Merchant Help Centre. For online merchants, here is the Android Pay API website.

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Google Pixel XL 128GB version is already sold out, for now, at Verizon

If you were hoping to pick up a 128GB version of the new Google Pixel XL smartphone at your local Verizon Wireless store tomorrow (Oct. 20), you are out of luck. One of the carrier's PR reps, Jeffrey Nelson, has confirmed, via Twitter, that the highest priced version of the smartphone has sold out of its initial shipment and won't be on sale in its retail stores.

See also: Google Pixel XL initial review: first 48 hours153

Nelson points out in his post that the other 32GB version of the same phone will still be on sale Thursday, along with both the 32GB and 128GB versions of the smaller Pixel smartphone. However, he adds that they are already seeing a "HUGE DEMAND" (his emphasis) for these Android 7.1 Nougat phones so its likely that there will be mass sellouts tomorrow. There's no word on when the carrier will get new shipments of the Pixel XL 128GB model.

In related news, Verizon will already have a software update for both Pixel phones to download and install tomorrow. The support pages for the updates are already live, which show that it will have a build number of NDE63P. This will likely be a very minor bug fixing update, as it shows it will contain some unnamed Wi-Fi improvements.

Will you be getting up early to buy the Google Pixel or Pixel XL at your nearest Verizon store tomorrow, or will you simply stay at home and order the phone online?

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(Update: Android 7.1 preview is out) Android 7.0 Nougat update: when will you get it?

Update, October 19: The developer preview of Android 7.1 has been released for the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Pixel C. The OTA is rolling out as we speak and the factory images are available on the Android Developers blog.

By getting the first developer preview out earlier this year (on March 9), Google gave itself a couple of months head start on getting all of the necessary fine-tuning and bug squashing done with plenty of time to spare. But it also gave app developers and manufacturers an even earlier look at what to expect from Android 7.0 Nougat and additional time to get the update ball rolling.

When Android 7.0 landed in its final form, it was actually slightly ahead of schedule. That just leaves us with the question: when will Nougat hit our devices? The answer to this will vary wildly depending on the OEM in question, with the current-gen Nexus devices getting it first and Pixel phones coming out of the box running Android 7.1.

Latest Android 7.0 news

The first developer preview of Android 7.1 Nougat is now available for the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Pixel C, after being teased on the Android Developer's blog in early October. At the same time as the over-the-air (OTA) update began rolling out, the Android 7.1 factory images also went live on the Android Developers blog:

• Android 7.1 Developer Preview factory images
• Android 7.1 Developer Preview OTA images

If you've never flashed a factory image, you can follow our guide here.

While the new Google Pixel phones will run Android 7.1 out of the box – along with several Pixel-only features – Android 7.1 will be coming to supported devices in its final version in "early December".

The phones getting the Android 7.1 update at that time include the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and supported Android One devices. The Android 7.1 developer preview will begin rolling out by the end of October.

Android 7.0 Nougat formally arrived on August 22nd. The most recent version didn't bring anything notably different from the previous beta, although a ton of bugs were squashed in order to bring the most stable experience possible.

Besides the visible stuff though, Google previously teased several tidbits of information about the Android 7.0 Nougat update during Google I/O. For starters, Android 7.0 introduces seamless updates so future Android updates happen silently in the background via A/B partition switching.

Be sure to check out our Android 7.0 review to get a better idea of what's new in Nougat:

See also: Android 7.0 Nougat: all the features you need to know350

Android 7.0 Nougat update: when will I get it?

The first supported Nexus devices enrolled in the beta program got the first developer preview of Android 7.1 on October 19, with the final release rolling out in early December. As always, the beta program is the easiest method for getting the latest and greatest Android version as quickly as possible via OTA, but you can also flash the factory images if you're not in the beta program (see links above).

On August 22nd, Android 7.0 OTAs began for the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One). The Nexus 5 did not join in on the fun, though that's of little surprise considering Google's usual device update support patterns. The factory images can be found here.

Android 7.0 update: when will I get it?

Samsung Android 7.0 update

Samsung isn't exactly speedy when it comes to rolling out Android updates, and we sadly don't expect that to change significantly with the Samsung Android 7.0 update. Samsung had confirmed Nougat for the Galaxy Note 7 "in 2-3 months" until the device suffered fires and was discontinued. With any luck that target will now apply to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge instead.

For reference, there was a five-month timeframe between the Android 6.0 launch on September 29, 2015 and the first U.S. update to Marshmallow with the Verizon Galaxy Note 5 on March 3, 2016. Using that as a benchmark, Galaxy owners could easily be waiting until the end of January or early February 2017 for the first Samsung Android 7.0 update.

With the Note 7 recall ongoing, we can't say if Samsung might try to get Nougat out for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge before the end of the year with the Note 5, S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ after them. With any luck, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge will both arrive in early 2017 running Android 7.0 or even Android 7.1 out of the box.

Best case scenario: Five months after Android 7.0 launch (January/February 2017)

LG Android 7.0 update

LG has been pretty good with its update speed for Marshmallow, with less than two months separating the release of Android 6.0 and the first LG handset to receive it (the Sprint LG G4 on December 21, 2015).

In fact, LG was the first OEM to get a carrier-based Marshmallow update out after Google. The LG V10 eventually got the update internationally in early March 2016, after the LG G3 and LG G Stylo already had Marshmallow in the U.S..

Of course, the LG V20 had the honor of being the first phone to arrive with Android 7.0 out of the box, beating even the Nexus range to the punch (much to the irritation of Nexus owners everywhere).

If LG's past update performance is anything to go by, the first LG Android 7.0 update could well be to the LG G5 in November 2016. LG announced a Nougat beta program for the G5 back in mid-August. If the V10 sees similar treatment to last year though, it might not get the Nougat update until mid-February 2017.

Best case scenario: Two months after Android 7.0 release (November 2016)

Sony Android 7.0 update

This year, certain Sony Xperia owners were treated to an Android N preview build just as they were last year with Android M. However, for those of you not interested in installing a non-final developer version, the Sony Android 7.0 update could arrive as early as October, according to leaked Sony update roadmap (take it with a pinch of salt though).

According to the roadmap, the Xperia X Performance and Xperia XZ will get the first Sony Nougat update in October, with the Xperia X and X Compact next up in November. December should see the Z5 series, Z3+ and Z4 Tablet getting Nougat and the Xperia XA and Ultra are listed for a January update.

We can't vouch for the authenticity of the roadmap, but if we look at Sony's efforts with Marshmallow last year, our predictions would be much less optimistic. Based on the Xperia Z5 series, Z4 Tablet and Xperia Z3+ all getting the Marshmallow update five months after Google first pushed it out, we wouldn't expect any Xperias to see Nougat until mid-January 2017, around the same time as the first Galaxy devices. So yeah, let's just hope Sony is aiming to up its game with the Nougat rollout.

Best case scenario: Two months after Android 7.0 release (October 2016), plus Android N developer previews

Motorola Android 7.0 update

Moto owners will likely still get the Motorola Android 7.0 update a lot earlier than most, despite now being owned by Lenovo rather than Google. The Moto X Pure Edition got its first U.S. update to Marshmallow on December 7, 2015, but that was the unlocked version not slowed down by the addition of carrier bloatware and other "optimizations".

With this in mind, Moto owners could be the first non-Nexus owners to see Android 7.0 in 2016 (not including V20 and Pixel owners), even beating out the LG G5. However, we're yet to see how a Lenovo-owned Motorola handles software updates. At the very least we know the new near-stock Moto devices will receive both the Android N and Android O releases.

Lenovo did come out and confirm that the Moto Z and Moto G4 families would be getting the Nougat update in Q4, 2016, with a later addition of more devices to the confirmed list although dates for those updates weren't forthcoming.

Best case scenario: A little over a month after Android 7.0 arrives (October 2016)

HTC Android 7.0 update

HTC also did pretty well with its first update to Marshmallow. The unlocked Developer Edition HTC One M9 and all variants of the HTC One A9 got the Marshmallow update in December 2015. The HTC 10 arrived in April running Android Marshmallow out of the box.

If HTC follows the same path this year, the first HTC Android 7.0 update should roll out to existing devices less than two months after Android 7.0 is made official. HTC's next flagship, presumably the HTC 11, should arrive with Android 7.0 at launch. HTC has already confirmed several devices (10, M9, A9) on the update train and T-Mobile has the HTC 10 and HTC One M9 on its own update list.

Best case scenario: Two months after Android 7.0 unveiling (October 2016)

Huawei Android 7.0 update

Not including the Nexus 6P, the first Huawei device to get Android Marshmallow was not even an update, but straight out of the box. The Huawei Mate 8 arrived with Marshmallow on board in November, just weeks after Google had made the update available for Nexus devices.

We expect the same to be true of the upcoming Huawei Mate 9, due to be announced on November 3. Meanwhile, a beta preview of Nougat for the Huawei P9 appeared as far back as July, a whole month before Google officially released it for Nexus devices. Update news for the P9 has been suspiciously quiet ever since though, even if the P9 series along with Nova are likely to be the first Huawei phones to get updated.

As far as honor devices are concerned, last year, the honor 7 Enhanced Edition arrived on December 14, 2015 with Android Marshmallow on board and the honor 5X and honor 7 followed with the Marshmallow update at the end of February.

Best case scenario: Mate 9 running Android 7.0 at launch (November 2016), honor updates in January 2017

Xiaomi Android 7.0 update

Xiaomi had a pretty bad case of the hiccups when it came to the Marshmallow update, so it may not be entirely representative to base assumptions about the Xiaomi Android 7.0 update based on its most recent update performance. Despite announcing Marshmallow was in the final stages of testing back in December 2015, it wasn't until early April that the Mi 4, Mi 3 and Mi Note finally got Android 6.0.

In the worst case scenario, Xiaomi suffers similar problems with Android 7.0 and users won't see it until six months after Google releases it. In the best case scenario, Xiaomi meets its timeline and has the update out in October or November 2016. In the worst case scenario…well, let's not even go there.

Best case scenario: Two or three months after Google (October/November 2016)

Android One Android 7.0 update

Android One devices occupy a particular sweet spot when it comes to Android updates. Because they run stock Android, Google handles firmware updates, meaning the Android One Android 7.0 update will always arrive at the same time as it does for Nexus devices with both OTA and flashable factory image options.

OTAs will likely take at least a few weeks or more to reach all Android One devices getting the upgrade, and as always, the factory images will be right around the corner. Note that not all Android One devices make the initial rollout alongside Nexus devices though.

When do you expect your manufacturer and carrier to get Android 7.0 into your hands?

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New update to Google Keep lets you pin your notes

If you're looking for a really simple and straightforward app to take notes and create to-do lists, Google Keep might be one of the best options out there. And now, with the most recent update, the app just got a little bit better with the ability to pin notes.

Unlike some of the more advanced note-taking apps out there like Evernote or even Samsung's own Note-series app, Google Keep pursues simplicity. Like most other Google apps, Keep is a really straightforward app that lets you take notes via typing or voice, create to-do lists, and store photos of receipts or important documents. You can also color-code and label your notes for convenience, and it will even let you set a location-based reminder so that your grocery list pops up when it detects that you are at the store.

See also: 10 best note taking apps for Android43

Well, with the latest update, Google is bringing you the ability to pin your notes to the top so that you don't have to scroll down. Interestingly, this feature was present in the APK teardown months ago, but it's only now officially available for some reason. But better late than never, amirite? To pin your note, all you have to do is long press on it and tap the pin icon on top. You will see a separate section on top of the screen for all your pinned notes.

Thus far, it seems like there aren't other significant changes with the update, but we will be sure to keep you updated. If you don't have Google Keep and want to give it a go, click the button below!

Download Google Keep from Play Store

What note-taking app are you using? Do you like Google Keep? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

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Deal: Snag these cool Harman Kardon IENC In-Ear Headphones for just $28

Harman Kardon is currently selling its IENC In-Ear Headphones for just $27.99 on its online store. That's a huge discount compared to its normal $149.95 price.

See also: The best earbuds

Harman Kardon is well known as one of the best audio companies, and the fact that it has cut the price of these high-end earphones down to what most people would consider a normal level is a huge deal. They offer noise cancelling features, a microphone, along with small, medium and large ergonomic Freebit ear tips, and three pairs of in-ear tips. It also comes with a MicroUSB charging cable, a carrying case and a flight adapter for those phones who travel a lot on planes.

All in all, this sounds like a huge opportunity for audiophiles who want to get a premium set of earphones for much less. Will you be taking advantage of this Harman Kardon IENC sale price?

Buy now from Harman Kardon

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Android 7.1 Developer Preview now available for Nexus 6P, 5X and Pixel C

Not too long ago Google announced that the Android 7.1 Nougat Developer Preview would soon make its way to the Nexus 6P and 5X, and we're happy to tell you it's now available. Both factory images and OTA .zip files are available for the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Pixel C. If you're already enrolled in the Android Beta Program, you should receive the update shortly. This first Android 7.1 preview comes in at build NPF10C.

So, what's new in the Android 7.1 Developer Preview? Google's David Burke says it introduces a number of new features like application shortcuts and image keyboard support. It also includes an updated SDK and tools, documentation and samples, and emulators and device system images for running apps on supported devices.

Burke reminds us that this is a beta-quality release, so the goal here is to tease out device-specific issues.

See also: What Pixel features will be part of Android 7.1?67

Google will release an update in November, while the official, consumer-ready Android 7.1 build will land sometime in December. Additional devices will get access to the dev preview in November.

Have a Nexus 6P, 5X or Pixel C? Head to the links below to start flashing!

• Android 7.1 Developer Preview factory images
• Android 7.1 Developer Preview OTA images

If you've never flashed a factory image, you can learn how to do so here.

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