Google thinks you might like what your neighbor is playing on his phone
Most Android users head to Google Play Store to snag new apps and games. While the Play Store typically checks which country you are in to show different content, it doesn't usually consider your specific city or state. That might be changing soon, though, as Google seems to be rolling out a feature that uses your device's location to recommend more local content.
Lately, there have been reports of a new pop-up showing up when you open the Play Store. It asks if you would like to see local recommendations and explains that Play can use your device’s location to suggest apps, offers, and other content that is relevant to your area.
After you hit "Continue,” Android will prompt you to decide if you want to give the Google Play Store access to your device’s approximate location. Based on Google's guidelines, when an app gets access to your device’s approximate location, it is given an estimate within about 3 square kilometers (1.2 square miles). This should be enough for Google Play to offer recommendations relevant to your local area.
Besides giving you localized deals and app suggestions, the Google Play Store will use your device's approximate location to "enforce local guidelines on content and distribution." Exactly how this will affect app availability isn’t entirely clear, but it could mean that certain apps might be hidden based on your current location, even if they are available in your country.
If you’d rather skip Google Play’s local recommendations, you can turn it off by heading to the Play Store’s settings page. Just open the General dropdown and switch off the "Use device location" option. Another way is to go into your Android Settings app and limit the Play Store’s access to your location altogether.
So far, this feature seems to be popping up for just a few users. It is unclear if Google is rolling it out more broadly at the moment, but since there is already a support page for it, we can probably expect to see it reaching more users soon.
I don’t know about you, but I would think twice before letting the Play Store use my location for local recommendations. While it could offer more tailored suggestions, it also means Google will gather more precise data about where you are and what you do. And yeah, this could lead to super-personalized content, but it also raises concerns about privacy and the risk of being stuck in a filter bubble, limiting your exposure to a wider range of content.
Google Play to use your approximate location to offer recommendations for local content
Lately, there have been reports of a new pop-up showing up when you open the Play Store. It asks if you would like to see local recommendations and explains that Play can use your device’s location to suggest apps, offers, and other content that is relevant to your area.
The new local recommendations feature. | Image credit – Mishaal Rahman/ Android Authority
If you’d rather skip Google Play’s local recommendations, you can turn it off by heading to the Play Store’s settings page. Just open the General dropdown and switch off the "Use device location" option. Another way is to go into your Android Settings app and limit the Play Store’s access to your location altogether.
I don’t know about you, but I would think twice before letting the Play Store use my location for local recommendations. While it could offer more tailored suggestions, it also means Google will gather more precise data about where you are and what you do. And yeah, this could lead to super-personalized content, but it also raises concerns about privacy and the risk of being stuck in a filter bubble, limiting your exposure to a wider range of content.
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