Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR Google has announced improved ways to find apps in the Play Store, including new “spaces” and a Guided Search tool.
Spaces will highlight curated, seasonal content and offer samples from apps like HBO Max and Peacock.
Guided Search aims to make searching for an app easier, using phrases like “find a home” or “deck-building games.”
Google has announced a couple of significant updates for how you find apps on the Google Play Store, including an expansion of its “spaces” feature, plus a new search tool called Guided Search. If you like the idea of browsing the Play Store for new apps, but often get overwhelmed with how to start searching, these updates could actually be pretty helpful.
We’ll start with the updates to curated spaces. Spaces live at the top of the Apps tab in the Play Store (next to For You, Top charts, etc.) and are curated collections of apps around a specific topic. Google first started testing spaces last year in India and Japan with its Cricket Hub and Comics spaces, respectively.
Joe Maring / Android Authority The new entertainment space in Korea
In Korea, Google is launching a new entertainment space on the Apps tab that will highlight movies, short-form dramas, etc. Similarly, users in the US will now be able to sample trending TV shows and movies right on the Apps page. Google says these samples currently include content from HBO Max and Peacock, though we’ll almost certainly see more brands included down the road. Google is also launching free web comic samples in the US and Korea, following its initial test in Japan.
Furthermore, Google says it’ll continue to expand spaces to users “around the world” later this month, allowing you to see “curated, seasonal topics in a new, immersive way.”
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search — find out more here.
... continue reading