Google is warning developers that app reviews may take seven days or more as a result of work schedule adjustments at the company. That means new app submissions will see delays, and even some updates might take longer to go through if they happen to trigger a manual review.

The new warning on the Google Play Console.

Last year, Google recommended a "buffer period" of at least three days for developers to plan for, though it later updated Play Console documentation to state that apps reviews can take up to 7 days or more in exceptional cases. These being exceptional times that we now live in, that 7-day window has apparently been extended to all app reviews.

We should note, Google isn't entirely clear about what precisely triggers an app review. While all new app submissions require one, updates for specific categories of apps (like those targeting children) also trigger a manual review. However, sometimes app updates in other benign categories have been known to trigger reviews, and there isn't any apparent rhyme or reason.

We've reached out to Google for more information, and we'll be sure to update our coverage if we hear more. In the meantime, developers should factor these extra delays into their planning.

A Google spokesperson provided us with the following statement after publication:

"Due to adjusted work schedules at this time, we are currently experiencing longer than usual review times. While the situation is currently evolving, app review times may fluctuate, and may take 7 days or longer."

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  • Armando