Google announced it is preparing to launch a new set of policies regarding app title, icon, and developer name.
To continue to be allowed on Google Play, developers will have to:
- Limit the length of app titles to 30 characters
- Prohibit keywords that imply store performance, promotion in the icon, title and developer name
- Eliminate graphic elements that may mislead users in the app icon
Google said it would reveal more details about this policy change, including its enforcement start dates, later this year.
The company also announced new store listing preview asset guidelines for the feature graphics, screenshots, videos, and short descriptions devs supply to showcase an app’s features and functionality.
The new guideline for developer supplied assets focus on the following principles:
- Do the preview assets accurately represent the app or game?
- Do the preview assets provide enough information to help users decide whether to install?
- Are the preview assets free of buzzwords like “free” or “best” and instead focus on providing meaningful information about the unique aspects of an app or game?
- Are the preview assets localized correctly and easy to read?
These updated guidelines will come into effect in the second half of 2021. Apps and games failing to comply will not be eligible for recommendations on all surfaces on Google Play.
The full review of all the upcoming changes is available here.