Android update: Google is removing this feature from your smartphone

<p><strong>Android </strong>is <strong>Google's </strong>mobile operating system that is used by most smartphones across the globe that are not manufactured by Apple.</p> <p>The operating system is hugely popular and saw its newest version debut back in August.</p> <p><strong>Android 9 Pie</strong> brings a host of new features to users but it is not yet available on all devices running Google's software.</p> <p>Initially <strong>Android 9 Pie</strong> only arrived for <strong>Google Pixel</strong> hardware in addition to the Essential Phone.</p> <p>However, it has since arrived on a number of other smartphones with Sony, Motorola and OnePlus all detailing when their devices will receive the upgrade.</p> <p>But Google recently announced it is removing a feature from Android, meaning it will soon cease to exist on your device.</p> <p>The American tech giant recently declared Nearby Notifications will stop being delivered to users on December 6, 2018.</p> <p>In a post on its Android developer blog, <strong>Google </strong>insisted "a significant increase in locally irrelevant and spammy notifications" was to blame for the departure.</p> <p>Google product manager, Ritesh Nayak, said: "Three years ago, we created Nearby Notifications as a way for Android users to discover apps and content based on what is nearby.</p> <p>"Our goal was to bring relevant and engaging content to users - to provide useful information proactively.</p> <p>"Developers have leveraged this technology to let users know about free wifi nearby, provide guides while in a museum, and list transit schedules at bus stops.</p> <p>"We've learned a lot building and launching Nearby Notifications. However, earlier this year, we noticed a significant increase in locally irrelevant and spammy notifications that were leading to a poor user experience."</p> <p>While <strong>Google </strong>admitted "filtering and tuning" could help to alleviate issues with Nearby Notifications, it concluded the tool did not meet its standards.</p> <p>Nayak continued: "While filtering and tuning can help, in the end, we have a very high bar for the quality of content that we deliver to users, especially content that is delivered through notifications.</p> <p>"Ultimately, we have determined these notifications did not meet that bar.</p> <p>"As a result, we have decided to discontinue support for Nearby Notifications. We will stop serving Nearby Notifications on December 6th, 2018."</p> <p>Nearby Notifications launched on <strong>Android </strong>back in 2015 and was designed to offer contextual information to users.</p> <p>This meant if an Android fan was standing at a bus stop, they could be sent an alert for relevant departure times.</p>