The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week
Google Play app reviews are increasingly taking a week or more, with some long-established apps and Android Auto integrations stuck in review for up to two weeks, often with inconsistent timing and little transparency. Developers compare this unfavorably to Apple’s App Store and highlight how such delays make it hard to ship critical bug fixes, encouraging workarounds like web apps, PWAs, React Native OTA updates, F-Droid, and direct APK distribution. The slowdown also reignites broader debates over app-store gatekeeping, security versus user freedom, and whether regulation or alternative distribution models are needed to counter the power of Google and Apple.
Review times and variability
- Many report Google Play reviews for updates now often taking 7–16 days, with some stuck for weeks despite support tickets.
- Others still see approvals within 1–4 hours, especially for long‑standing apps; experience is described as highly inconsistent and unpredictable.
- New apps or dormant apps revived after years can take from a couple of days to much longer.
Factors affecting Google Play review
- New individual developer accounts created after 2023 often face a mandatory 12‑tester, 14‑day closed test, with possible denial of production access if engagement or feedback is deemed insufficient.
- Some suspect added scrutiny for apps using Android Auto or other special surfaces.
- Established apps with many prior successful reviews often seem to pass largely automated review quickly; others appear to fall into a “manual queue” with long delays.
Comparison with Apple and other stores
- Several developers now find Google Play slower than Apple’s App Store, reversing earlier expectations.
- Others report the opposite: Google is hours, Apple is days or weeks, especially for new apps or in‑app purchases.
- Both stores are said to have degraded in speed recently, possibly due to a surge of AI‑generated/sloppy apps.
- Samsung and some other platforms are cited as far worse (6–8+ weeks).
Impact on development and release practices
- Week‑plus queues are seen as unacceptable for critical bug fixes or security patches, especially for large‑scale apps or weekly release cadences.
- Some developers lean on web stacks, PWAs, React Native/EAS, or Trusted Web Activities to ship server‑side or OTA updates that bypass store review for most changes.
- Others simply avoid building native mobile apps at all and stay web‑only.
Security, gatekeeping, and regulation debate
- One camp argues gatekeeping and slower reviews improve security and protect non‑technical users.
- Another argues centralized app stores provide “security theater,” entrench monopolies, and restrict user freedom without assuming liability when things go wrong.
- Long subthreads debate user responsibility vs. paternalism, software liability, and whether regulation (e.g., EU laws) should constrain Apple/Google or would further entrench them.
Alternatives to dominant app stores
- F‑Droid and self‑hosted repos are praised for transparency, though their build queues can also reach weeks.
- Some advocate direct APK distribution, third‑party stores, or itch.io; others push for an “open web” / PWA‑first model and better browser support on mobile.