<Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> play.google.com </Td> </Tr> <P> Google Play (formerly Android Market) is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google . It serves as the official app store for the Android operating system, allowing users to browse and download applications developed with the Android software development kit (SDK) and published through Google . Google Play also serves as a digital media store, offering music, magazines, books, movies, and television programs . It previously offered Google hardware devices for purchase until the introduction of a separate online hardware retailer, Google Store, on March 11, 2015 . </P> <P> Applications are available through Google Play either free of charge or at a cost . They can be downloaded directly on an Android device through the Play Store mobile app or by deploying the application to a device from the Google Play website . Applications exploiting hardware capabilities of a device can be targeted to users of devices with specific hardware components, such as a motion sensor (for motion - dependent games) or a front - facing camera (for online video calling). The Google Play store had over 82 billion app downloads in 2016 and has reached over 2.7 million apps published in 2017 . It has been the subject of multiple issues concerning security, in which malicious software has been approved and uploaded to the store and downloaded by users, with varying degrees of severity . </P> <P> Google Play was launched on March 6, 2012, bringing together the Android Market, Google Music, and the Google eBookstore under one brand, marking a shift in Google's digital distribution strategy . The services operating under the Google Play banner are: Google Play Books, Google Play Games, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, and Google Play Newsstand . Following their rebranding, Google has gradually expanded the geographical support for each of the services . </P>

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