While the online Play Store has always taken a backseat to the Android app, it’s no less an important part of the equation. A lot of users discover new apps and games from the Play Store, and the vast majority of installing I do is all done online. Earlier this year, the Google Play Store app on Android got a big Material Makeover, and while the website has gotten some touch-ups here and there, it hasn’t changed much. That could be about to change however, as Android Police have discovered a new layout that could roll out to everyone shortly.
As Android Police have discovered, the new layout (that doesn’t appear for myself on any platform including a Chromebook running the Dev Channel) makes better use of widescreen monitors while also creating a narrower view. Right now, the app or game you’re looking at takes center stage, with the familiar menu on the left. The new layout adds a column to the right that shifts the ‘similar’ and ‘more from developer’ parts of the Play Store to the same level, which essentially draws your eye to related content in a way that the website didn’t before.
We’re not sure whether or not Google is just testing this or if they’re gradually rolling it out as time goes on, but only one of the team at Android Police can see it, and I’ve yet to see it for myself. A quicker way to show off related apps and games is obviously another way of pushing more app and game downloads, which leads to more revenue on Google’s end. This could be a welcome change for developers as well, as those that use the website more often than their phones or tablets will see related stuff more than they did before. Which in turn could make it easier for a developer’s app to be found. Take a look at the two images below for a quick look at how things have changed and let us know down below if you’ve seen the new layout yourself.
