Think back to 2012: “Call Me Maybe” was on top of the music charts and “Venmoing” wasn’t a mainstream verb yet. Android — with its mission to make mobile computing accessible to everyone, everywhere — was just a few years old.
That year, we opened the (digital) doors of Google Play. A decade later, more than 2.5 billion people in over 190 countries use Google Play every month to discover apps, games and digital content. And more than 2 million developers work with us to build their businesses and reach people around the globe. As we celebrate 10 years of Google Play, here are 10 of our favorite milestones and features from the last decade:
- New ways to enjoy apps and games: Products and features like Google Play Pass and Google Play Instant introduced new ways to discover and experience apps and games. We also launched Google Play Points so you can earn points and rewards for the ways you already use Google Play. As of today, more than 100 million people have joined the program.
- Gameplay on more devices: We set a goal to make our products and services work better together. Last year, we announced the beta of Google Play Games on PC in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan — allowing for easy gameplay across your Android phone, tablet, Chromebook and Windows PC.
- A celebration of your favorite apps and games: Our annual Best Of Awards celebrate the top apps, games and other content on Google Play. Over the years, we’ve expanded it to 19 countries and added new categories like “Best Hidden Gems” and “Best Apps for Good.” We also introduced the Users’ Choice Award so you can vote for your favorite titles and recognize the developers that make the apps and games you love.
- A safe and trusted space: Google Play Protect, our built-in malware protection for Android, now scans and verifies over 100 billion apps every day to help keep your device, data and apps safe. And earlier this year, we launched a new Data safety section where developers are required to give people more information about how their apps collect, share and secure data.
- Help for developers of all sizes: Every step of the way, we’ve invested in helping our developer community grow their businesses — including providing business and technical consulting and supporting small studios through efforts like our Indie Games programs. Visit the Android Developer Blog to read more about our journey with our developer community over the past decade.
- Support for nonprofits: You can make charitable donations through Google Play and even use your Play Points to support great causes, with 100% of your contributions going directly to nonprofits.
- Stronger representation in gaming: Through research, youth engagement and partnerships, Google Play’s Change The Game initiative celebrates and empowers women as players and creators. We’ve been particularly inspired by the creativity and talent of Design Challenge participants over the years.
- Resources for parents: The Kids tab in Google Play helps parents easily find and pick teacher-approved apps, while Google Kids Space — a kids mode on select Android tablets — features apps, books and videos for your kids to explore. Family Link also gives parents the tools they need to stay involved and help manage their children’s online experiences.
- Investment in local economies: Partnering with our developer community has helped bring better apps and games to people around the world, created new jobs and supported local economies. In fact, Google Play and Android have helped create over 2 million jobs in the U.S. alone.
- A fresh look: To round out this decade, we’re introducing a new logo that better reflects the magic of Google and matches the branding shared by many of our helpful products — Search, Assistant, Photos, Gmail and more.
Thank you to our Google Play community and developers for 10 years together. Play Points members can get 10x points on everything they buy by activating a points booster. The official start date varies by country — visit the “Earn” tab of Play Points Home to learn more.
