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Google Play Store gets a sleek but subtle facelift

Google-Play-Store-logoAlthough it wasn’t the focus of Google’s annual I/O keynote today, along with the slew of announcements detailing the latest of the tech giant’s innovations, Google also released an update to its Play Store.

As Android Police pointed out, the changes are subtle, but refreshing. The home buttons, which let you navigate to sub-sections like Apps, Games, Movies, Music, and other sections, have a new, more colorful look. And, once you dig down a little deeper, into specific application pages, you’ll notice a much airier, open look. We love this since the old design was a little cluttered, which can be a turnoff for many users whether they’re aware of it or not.

The Wishlist section also got a bit of a tweak. In the past, any apps that users added appeared as a simple text list. Now, however, a new visual element in included. The list is now a grid of cards, each with an associated image. Type A personalities will probably be annoyed that the cards are not universal in size, due to varying image dimensions. (Books and magazines have tall, rectangular images, while music and apps are shorter and square.) It would be aesthetically pleasing if they fit the cards together in a similar manner to a Pinterest board.

Another great new feature is perfect for those concerned with exceeding data limits on their plans. When users choose to update an app using mobile data, and that update happens to be a large one, a warning will pop up to make sure you’re okay with using your plan, rather than waiting to be within Wi-Fi range.

While relatively small, the changes bring a refreshing new vibe to the Play Store.   

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Joshua Pramis
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