The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week
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Google Play app reviews for established apps now regularly take over a week.
Daniel Gultsch, developer of the 12-year-old Conversations XMPP chat app, reports that Google Play review times now regularly exceed a week. He posted a screenshot showing his September 9 submission still pending on September 16. He suggests Google should prioritize long-standing Android apps that push updates only once a month, blaming AI-generated spam for clogging the pipeline.
Other developers in the thread corroborate the delays: AnkiDroid's alpha has been pending since September 3. Some note that Android Auto support triggers especially long reviews, while apps without it pass in hours. Several commenters suggest switching to F-Droid, where Conversations is also available, though F-Droid has its own queue delays.
What commenters are saying
Commenters split between those experiencing long delays and those with fast reviews. Some note that Android Auto support triggers extended review periods. Several suggest F-Droid as an alternative, though one points out its build queue also faces multi-week waits. A commenter reports AnkiDroid's alpha has been pending since September 3. Others argue the root problem is OS gatekeepers, calling for regulation to allow sideloading.