In June 2016, Google announced version 8.4 of Google Play Music (GPM), a subscription-based music streaming service. With this update, Google included Google News in the app’s interface, despite having not announced the change or providing users with any choice over the matter. The news section was accessible through a shortcut button placed in the lower-right corner of the app’s interface. Clicking on the button would lead to a news feed, which would feature a list of trending news stories in the user’s country. Users would then be able to read the full text of the news articles through a built-in reader.Google Play Music user complaints regarding the intrusive inclusion of Google News began appearing online shortly after the update was released. Users expressed their dissatisfaction with the unexpected change, arguing that the addition of a news feed was unnecessary and cluttered the app’s user interface. Some users also raised concerns about the potential impact of the news section on their privacy, as Google News tracks users’ reading habits and collects data on their interests.In response to the user complaints, a Google spokesperson issued a statement explaining that the inclusion of Google News in Google Play Music was intended to provide users with “a convenient way to stay informed about the news while listening to music.” The spokesperson also stated that Google was “listening to user feedback” and would “make changes to improve the experience” in the future. Despite the backlash from users, Google did not remove the Google News section from Google Play Music. However, in subsequent updates to the app, Google did make some changes to address user concerns. For example, in version 8.5 of GPM, Google removed the shortcut button from the main interface and moved the news section to a separate tab. Additionally, Google gave users the ability to disable the news section altogether.The saga of Google News in Google Play Music is a reminder that app developers need to be mindful of user feedback when making changes to their products. While it is important for developers to add new features and improve their apps over time, they should do so in a way that respects the privacy and preferences of their users..
Google News Included Covertly in Google Play Music
