If you’re always on the lookout for new apps, chances are you’re always on the Google Play Store. And while functionally it works, when it comes to the design and the user interface, it could still be improved. We’ve been expecting a new version with the Material Theme and other changes for some time now and finally, it looks like Google is rolling out the update that has these improvements that would make life easier (and nicer to the eyes) when browsing.
From this XDA post, the most noticeable change would be that the navigation bar is now at the bottom, with tabs for Games, Apps, Movies & TV, and Books. It’s much easier to access it given the size of most of the smartphone screens that we have today. The icons also change colors themselves compared to the previous setting where they adapt to the color palette of the upper background. The music tab is also gone since reports have been saying that Google Play Music will be replaced by YouTube Music anyway.
You also now have an all-white background and the Google Sans font has replaced the previous font, similar to what we’ve seen on other Google apps that have adopted the Material Design already. A lot of the design elements now have rounded corners. However some of the app icons and buttons look pretty inconsistent with some sporting the rounded corners and some still have the previous design. That should be fixed over the next few days.
The app pages also look a bit different now, with the buttons for Install, Uninstall, or Open now occupying the full width. The ratings and screenshots of the app are also now better positioned. Categories for suggested apps have also been re-organized. A new one that you’ll see says “Based on your recent activity” but it’s unclear if it’s activity within Google Play Store or the whole Google eco-system.
While the update has already started rolling out for some, it might take a while before everyone gets it. You can always download the APK from the reddit thread if you can’t wait for the regular update.
