Google is announcing several updates to Google Play in an attempt to shift the app store from “a place to download apps” to “an experience.” Many of the changes are powered by AI, and most seem like a preemptive attempt to keep the Play Store attractive for users now that it seems increasingly possible Google will be forced to open up Android to third-party app stores.
The most visible update Google is introducing to Google Play is a new tab. It’s called the “You Tab” and it acts like a combination of a profile page and a For You tab, specifically for app store content. You can access Google’s universal game profiles from the tab — part of larger gaming-focused updates Google is bringing to Google Play — along with app recommendations and content recommendations from streaming apps available through the Play Store. The tab seems relatively easy to ignore if you just want to download apps, but Google thinks users could turn to it as a curation tool and a way to take advantage of deals.
The company is also expanding the ways you can find apps. New regional sections will collect apps and content based on specific interests or seasonal topics. Google has tried a “Cricket Hub” in India and a Comics section in Japan, and now it’s bringing an Entertainment section to Korea that will collect short-form video apps, webcomics and streaming services into a single home. Interestingly, Google is making content from these apps available to sample directly in Google Play, and not just in Korea. You’ll be able to read webcomics and watch short-form K-dramas directly in Google Play, without having to download an additional app in the US, too.
When you’re looking for something in particular, a new “Guided Search” feature will let you search for a goal (for example, “buy a house”) and receive results that are organized into specific categories by Gemini. Those Gemini-based improvements will also extend to individual app pages, where Google continues to expand the availability of its “Ask Play” feature. Ask Play lets you ask questions about an app and receive AI-generated responses, a bit like the Rufus AI chatbot Amazon includes in its store pages.
Google’s Play Store updates start rolling out this week in countries where the company’s Play Points program is available, like the US, the UK, Japan and Korea. They’ll come to “additional countries” on October 1, according to Google.
