Starting in August 2018, all new apps submitted to the store will have to be built with Android 8.0 Oreo in mind, or more specifically, target at least API level 26, or higher.

By November 2018, any updates to existing apps will need to be created with Android 8.0 Oreo in mind as well.

Small thing to make life with older phones harder, considering that most cheap Android phones are never updated by manufacturer.

By August 2019, all apps will be required to provide a 64-bit variant regardless if they target older versions of Android. That means apps created for older Android libraries must still have a 64-bit version ready.

And this is also good, as by default your application will be consuming more space on flash and eating more RAM, this is that Google want. No other reason to force developers of small applications into 64 versions.

This guys want to even stop allowing you to download 32bit versions as otherwise it'll be faster and smaller and you won't buy new phone.

iOS 11 dropped 32-bit support entirely this past September, blocking the gates to outdated 32-bit apps.

Following Apple steps, as without small steps that Apple made it had been much worse for them.