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Here’s how to find only the best apps on the Google Play Store

Published Oct 21st, 2014 12:41PM EDT
Google Play Store App Search

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There are lots of apps on the Google Play Store but a lot of them are, quite frankly, junk. However, Android Authority points out that Google has just added a terrific new feature to Google Play that will help you weed out bad apps and only find the ones that have received high praise from Android users.

FROM EARLIER: How to experience Android 5.0’s gorgeous Material Design on your phone right now

When you search for an app now, you have the option of filtering out all apps that aren’t rated at least four stars or higher. This should hopefully get rid of a lot of the low-quality apps that developers spam out onto the store.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that this will completely eliminate bad apps from your searches. For one thing, some shady app developers pay out money for click farms to give their apps good ratings on Google Play. For another, the filter doesn’t let you specify that an app should receive a certain number of reviews before showing up in your search. This means that an app that has literally received just one review that’s four stars or higher will pop up in search results.

That said, this is still a terrific new feature that Google has added and we imagine the company will refine it and make it better as time goes by.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.