Google to delete inactive accounts

For many, barely a day goes by when they don’t use a Google product, including Gmail, YouTube, an app from the Google Play Store or the ubiquitous Google Search. But those who access Google products only sporadically or no longer access them at all could have their account purged.

Google says it will start deleting “inactive accounts” that haven’t used any Google product or service for two years. It will also delete any data associated with the account — including files stored on Google Drive or email in your Gmail account.

Google says the policy will be enacted slowly, and “the earliest we will begin deleting accounts is December 2023.”

Apple reveals App Store stats

Apple keeps information about its App Store closely guarded, but it has released some statistics in its first-ever “Transparency Report.” The tech giant says the App Store has nearly 1.8 million apps with 748 million weekly downloads. Apple removed 186,195 apps in 2022, mainly because of design flaws or fraud. It also removed 1,474 apps because of “government takedown demands,” with China accounting for the lion’s share of 1,435.

Tablet sales plunge

A pandemic superstar has lost some of its luster. Sales of tablets are plummeting, with shipments dropping 18% in the first quarter to the lowest point in three years, according to Canalys research. Canalys says “the massive demand drivers” of the pandemic — mainly work-from-home employees and students beefing up their technology — have ebbed as offices and schools reopened.

Instagram targets Twitter

Instagram is planning to release a text-based app to compete with Twitter, possibly as soon as next month. The company is testing the project with celebrities and influencers, and the app has been secretly available to select creators for months. Twitter's chaotic takeover by Elon Musk has prompted some users to look for alternatives and created an opening in the market. — Bloomberg News