Android is not limited to smartphones anymore, and there are other devices that are running on this popular OS. Smartwatches, TVs, and cars can now run Android apps. That’s why Google is trying to improve its Play Store experience for devices other than just smartphones. These changes that are coming to the Play Store are a part of Google System updates for September 2022. Last week, Google rolled out a new update to the Play Store that adds an “Other devices” tap in the Games and Apps feeds. This way, Wear OS, Android/Google TV, and Android Auto users will find it much easier to look for the apps. The new tap has Watch, TV, and Car as sub-tabs.
Play Store wants to offer a better multi-device experience
The “Other devices” tap makes Play Store content more accessible to users. For example, to access the Wear OS section in the Play Store, you previously needed to use the Categories > Watch apps path. Now, it’s just placed at the top bar. Additionally, in the Android and Google TV, you can find nine carousels that offer almost everything you need, from music to news and health. Another multi-device feature that Google has brought to the Play Store is device filters. Thanks to the new feature, you see a list of eligible devices that can run the desired app, and you can choose the device that the app must be installed on. This can be done remotely and is as easy as clicking the install button. As you can see in the screenshot below, the play Store even shows the exact model of Samsung smartwatches instead of a generic title. Google has also optimized the Play Store website to support the multi-device experience.
