Over the past year or so, Google has taken a more focused approach to improve the Android experience on tablets, foldables and other big-screen devices. The company has already rolled out Android 12L, which was aimed at making better use of the large screen estate found in these kinds of devices.
As shared on its official blog, Google notes that users are increasingly using other Android devices beyond their mobile phones. These devices include tablets and TVs, as well as other smaller devices like smartwatches. The company points out that they have seen the number of active non-mobile Android devices grow by 30% in the last year.
With the number of users embracing large screens increasing, the tech giant has announced changes that are coming to the Play Store for tablets and foldables in 2023. The aim is to offer a significant upgrade over the current Play Store design for tablets, that largely still mirrors that of the smartphone counterpart.
The new design will bring the app description, screenshots, and trailer videos right to the Apps and Games pages. This new layout which they refer to as a “content-forward approach” emphasizes making it immediately clear to a user what kind of experience they will experience through the presence of screenshots and app descriptions at the forefront and easily available.
“[The] goal of this content-forward approach is to better represent your app in the store and help users make install decisions,” reads part of the company’s blog post.
The change however is only visual and does not change how the Play Store works in the background. In a screenshot shared by Google, a dedicated Kids section can also be seen at the bottom of the left sidebar with Games, Apps, Books and Offers.
Aside from the expected new layout, Google has also announced that the Play Store is getting support for Chromebook-specific screenshots. Developers can now upload Chromebook screenshots through the Google Play Console. Screenshots with a 16:9 aspect ratio and with dimensions of up to 1080-7690 pixels are what Google encourages developers to upload. A maximum of 8 screenshots can be uploaded.
To go with the blog release, the tech giant has provided some resources and tips for developers to make the best use of the Play Store redesign. Screenshots from various form factors are recommended to be uploaded, and the promotion of applications should leverage imagery rather than too many words. If words are necessary, they should be able to stand the test of time without needing frequent updates.
Google has not yet committed to a date when they will roll out the new design. However, the best guess is that it will coincide with the release of the much-awaited Pixel Tablet at the beginning of 2023.
