Google launches Google Play SDK Index with over 100 commercial SDKs

At this year’s Google I/O, Google announced the launch of Google Play SDK Index, a new public directory filled with the most widely used commercial SDKs, and data and insights about each one.

In the Google Play SDK Index, developers can search for an SDK or look through a category, like advertising and monetization or analytics. For each SDK listing, Google Play SDK Index combines usage data from Google Play apps with SDK code detection to provide insights, including retention metrics, version adoption rates, and which Android app permissions the SDK may request.

SDK providers can also share key information with developers for the SDKs that they registered on Google Play SDK Console, like which SDK version is outdated or has critical issues, and links to data safety guidance on what data the SDK collects and why, to help developers fill out their app’s Data safety form.

The data safety section requires app developers to give users more information about how apps collect, share and secure users’ data. Google has started to roll out the Google Play Data safety section, which it first announced last May, to all users in April 2022. 

Back in 2020, Google had launched  Google Play SDK Console, which provides usage statistics, crash reporting, and the ability for SDK providers to communicate to app developers through Play Console and Android Studio. 

Google Play also plans to migrate app signing keys to Cloud Key Management, where they’ll be stored even more securely, starting soon. In addition, developers will be able to migrate to new signing keys annually from the Play Console as a precaution or in the event of a security breach.

Another new feature of Play App Signing rolling out soon is the ability for any app to perform an app signing key rotation. In the event of an incident or just as a security best practice, developers will be able to trigger an annual key rotation from within Play Console.

The company also launched Play Integration API, which allows apps and games on Google Play to to detect fraudulent and risky interactions, such as traffic from modified or pirated app versions and rooted or compromised devices.

At the Google I/O developer conference, Google also introduced new subscription capabilities including multiple base plan and offer support and In-App Messaging feature.