Google has announced that applications that utilize API versions more than two years removed from the current offering will soon be delisted from the Google Play ecosystem. This change is made in an effort to improve security and consistency across the Platform.
The company notes that API upgrades are made to improve privacy, security, and the overall User Experience. Allowing applications to utilize API versions that are too far out of date sacrifices this quality to the detriment of end-users. Google already requires that new applications target an Android API level within one year of the latest major Android OS version release. This new standard brings existing applications into closer alignment with newer offerings.
