Google: Difference between revisions

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In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=3 Dec 2020 |title=Google fully shuts down Play Music around the world |url=https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=9To5Google}}</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to [[wikipedia:YouTube_Music|YouTube Music]], and that they would be losing access to their purchased songs. Google recommended users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music by end of 2020 |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=YouTube Official Blog}}</ref>

After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to ~~stay up~~.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>

After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to continue working offline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>

====Google Stadia shutdown====

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Devices without Google Mobile Services or running custom ROMs are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer}}</ref>

=== Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update ===

===Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update===

Numerous Google Pixel phones have gotten bricked as a result of different use cases, such as accidentally switched slots, flashing custom ROMs or downgrading the bootloader version of the device after an Anti-Rollback (ARB) increment, accidentally or otherwise<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Hadlee |date=2025-08-26 |title=Some Pixels are bricked and Google apparently won't help revive them |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Android Authority}}</ref>. The device enters an emergency download (EDL) state, where it refuses to enter fastboot or recovery mode, making it near impossible to repair. The only way to fix it is to load recovery firmware onto the RAM and flash a working version of Android from there.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=3 Dec 2020 |title=Google fully shuts down Play Music around the world |url=https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=9To5Google}}</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to [[wikipedia:YouTube_Music|YouTube Music]], and that they would be losing access to their purchased songs. Google recommended users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music by end of 2020 |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=YouTube Official Blog}}</ref>
-After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to stay up.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>
+After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to continue working offline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>
 ====Google Stadia shutdown====
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 Devices without Google Mobile Services or running custom ROMs are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer}}</ref>
-=== Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update ===
+===Not providing a solution for Pixel devices bricked due to switching slots, flashing certain ROMs, downgrading the OS, or installing the June 2025 update===
 Numerous Google Pixel phones have gotten bricked as a result of different use cases, such as accidentally switched slots, flashing custom ROMs or downgrading the bootloader version of the device after an Anti-Rollback (ARB) increment, accidentally or otherwise<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Hadlee |date=2025-08-26 |title=Some Pixels are bricked and Google apparently won't help revive them |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Android Authority}}</ref>. The device enters an emergency download (EDL) state, where it refuses to enter fastboot or recovery mode, making it near impossible to repair. The only way to fix it is to load recovery firmware onto the RAM and flash a working version of Android from there.