Summary
- A Play Store app sharing feature is being removed.
- Sharing apps through direct Wi-Fi connection was niche, with limited practical use.
- Google Play Store v44.1 update, rolling out now, removes app sharing.
Back in 2021, Google introduced Play Store functionality that let users share apps with each other directly, allowing senders to wirelessly transmit copies of apps to local receivers. The feature was always niche — and now, it’s going away. As spotted by AssembleDebug, an update to the Play Store rolling out now is shutting down local app sharing.
App sharing allowed you to send apps that are available for free on the Play Store, or updates to apps the recipient already had installed, over a direct Wi-Fi connection, without either device needing active internet access. While that functionality has some niche use cases — sharing an app a friend wanted to try when neither of you have reception, or passing along an anticipated app update before it had rolled out completely — it’s obviously not something most users ever needed.
According to support documentation from Google, the Google Play Store v44.1 update removes the ability to share apps with people nearby. That version started rolling out yesterday, December 16, so if you haven’t gotten the update yet, you should soon — so get all of your local app sharing out of the way now, I guess.
Did anyone actually use this feature?
Occasions when you might need to download an app from a friend’s device are obviously few and far between, and Google’s evidently made the calculation that maintaining this particular feature was more trouble than it was worth. I can’t say I’m sad to see it go; I forgot local app sharing was even an option until I learned it was being retired.
The Google Play Store v44.1 update is rolling out now.
