While tablets were, in the beginning, only an afterthought, Google and Android have grown up to realize that this large-sized device form factor is not just a passing fad. And to emphasize that point, Google is now rolling out a promised update to the Google Play Store app that will, by default, display apps designed for tablets when browsing the store on a tablet device.
“Designed for tablets” is a way for Google to help users pick out apps that they know will work best on a tablet, or at the very least won’t look like an overgrown phone app. Once the update hits, the top lists tabs, such as Top Paid, Top Free, and Top Grossing, will now be set to display apps that meet the Android tablet criteria. That is, of course, if they’re running Google Play Store on a tablet. Apps that don’t meet the tablet standards can still be displayed, but users will have to reach for the “Designed for phones” option.
What this means for developers is that if they want their apps to show up by default on tablets, they will have to check their apps against a tablet optimization checklist and fix them if necessary. Although, their app has to be in those top lists anyway to be affected by this change, as search results seem to display both sets of apps as normal. But those requirements might still be a good thing to see so that you don’t get caught off guard if and when your app suddenly becomes a hit.
The update for Google Play Store should be silently rolling out over the next few days, so no manual user intervention is needed. Developers can hit the link below for Google’s recommendations on making sure your apps are tablet-ready.
SOURCE: Google (Announcement), (Tablet App Quality Checklist)
