The latest Android Market update isn't a big one, but it includes one change that should make iPhone users jealous.
With version 3.3.11, Android users can set all apps to update
automatically by default. Users could previously allow individual apps
to auto-update, but this new setting applies auto-update to every app
the user owns. The new version also includes an option to update over
Wi-Fi only, helping users avoid data overage changes.
Back when I owned an iPhone, updating apps was a chore. It seemed
like every time I looked at the App Store icon, a dozen or more apps
needed updating. I could never update everything while out of the
house--too many apps require Wi-Fi to download--and I often neglected
the task while at home. To make things worse, all my violent video games
and alternate Web browsers required special approval for having
age-restricted content, so the update process needed a lot of attention.
On Android, apps can update automatically, but even this was a minor
pain because you had to go into each individual app to check the
auto-update box. That's not longer the case with the new Android Market
version. Presumably, apps whose permissions change--that is, they want
to access more of your data--will require a manual approval, just as
they did before.
Google hasn't officially released this version of the Android Market yet, but you can download a leaked version from Android Police
if you're impatient. No rooting is required, but Android Police warns
that the new version isn't stable yet on Honeycomb tablets. Also, you
may have to clear the app's data (in Settings > Applications >
Manage > Market) if the Market starts force closing.
Other changes with the version include the ability to auto-add app
shortcuts to the home screen and the inclusion of a star rating chart on
app pages.
Source is
http://www.pcworld.com/article/243006/android_market_trumps_apples_app_store_with_autoupdate_feature.html
No comments:
Post a Comment