From May 11 onward, Google will kill third-party call recording apps in the Play Store. Whenever a call recording feature is not integrated into the phone app, users are forced to download third-party call recording apps. However, this comes to an end as the new Google Play Store policy restricts the app developers from offering such apps.
According to the new Google Play policy, Android applications are not allowed to use accessibility API for call recording. However, this policy will only affect third-party apps. The built-in call recording apps will not have any problems. Since the default apps come pre-installed with the Android phone, they are not dependent on the Google policies.
Google Play Store’s new policy to kill 3rd Party Call Recording Apps
As per Google’s support, “The Accessibility API is not designed and cannot be requested for remote call audio recording.” In simple words, the third-party developers use Accessibility API to offer call recording apps and services. From Android 10 OS onward, Google blocked the call recording apps by default. However, developers started using accessibility API to run this feature.
That is why the tech giant Google is working on a new Play Store policy to kill call recording apps API. Android OEMs such as Xiaomi, Samsung, and Oppo offer default built-in call recording apps. For such users, the feature will still work without any issues. The main reason for this Google Play Store policy change is that the call recording laws vary across different countries.
The built-in call recording apps can easily access the VOICE_CALL audio source present in the Android system files. However, the third-party apps cannot reach this file. Besides, these apps do not inform the person on the other end of the call that the call recording is taking place. As per Google, this is a big privacy and security concern.
It would be interesting to see how the developers would react to this. Also, what would be their move against the new Google Play policy? Google has not yet explained when and how exactly it is going to enforce the recent policy change. Whether the company will block the smartphones or they’ll ask the third-party developers to remove the call recording apps from the Play Store. What do you think about this Google Play policy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
