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Google Play Store to offer customized local content recommendations

Pictured: Alap Naik Desai
By Alap Naik Desai
July 26, 2024
Featured image for Google Play Store to offer customized local content recommendations

Google Play Store could soon offer local content recommendations based on the Android device’s approximate location. The ability to recommend local or regional content is an advanced and better version of “region locking”.

Google seeking approximate location permission for a new feature

The Google Play Store remains the top destination for apps, games, services, and subscriptions on Android devices. Google is now unlocking “local recommendations” on the Android app store.

As the name suggests, local recommendations will suggest content and services near the Android device. Needless to say, this feature will need users to grant “Approximate Location” permission.

According to Mishaal Rahman, Google has enabled the local recommendation features on a few Android smartphones, presumably for testing purposes. The feature seeks user permission with a pop-up prompt on the Google Play Store.

The prompt asks if the user, “want[ed] to see local recommendations in Google Play.” The pop-up further mentions, “Play can use your device location to recommend apps, offers, and other local content that are relevant in your area.”

Clicking “Continue” brings up the permission window for accessing the device’s approximate location. This permission allows Google to determine the device’s location within a radius of about 1.2 sq. miles (3 sq. km).

What local recommendations will Google Play Store offer and how to opt out?

The Support Page for the new feature states, the Google Play Store will also use the device’s approximate location to enforce local guidelines on content and distribution.” This process of restricting content is called region locking.

The local recommendations feature isn’t the opposite of region locking. It will help users discover content that’s near to them. Google hasn’t specified what content Play Store would recommend, but it could include local promotions or region-specific apps and services.

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Opting out of the local recommendations features is easy. Android users must navigate to the Play Store’s Settings page > General Settings, and toggle Use device location off.

To permanently switch off local recommendations, users can also remove the Play Store’s access to the device’s location. This setting is accessible in the main Android settings app.