Google has announced that it will begin highlighting apps in Google Play that offer good full-screen support on Android tablets and foldables, while also shaming those that don’t. The company is making these changes in order to encourage developers to support larger screens for the Android operating system.
In a blog post, Google stated, “To promote high-quality apps that shine on large screens, we’ve made several ranking changes to boost quality across Play. Apps and games that adhere to our large screen app quality guidelines will now be ranked higher in search and Apps and Games Home.”
These changes will take effect in late August. Google will raise the visibility of apps that “resize well, aren’t letterboxed, and support both portrait and landscape orientations.” Apps that meet these criteria will be featured in Google Play’s “Editors’ Choice Apps” and other Play Store features that highlight specific apps.
Additionally, Google will introduce new “content forward formats” that use screenshots specific to form factors. This means that when users view an app, they will be able to see how it will look in landscape mode versus portrait mode. This will provide a better understanding of how the app will appear on different screen sizes.
Furthermore, the Google Play Store will display warnings when apps don’t run properly on phones with large screens. This will alert users to potential compatibility issues before they download or purchase an app. It will also encourage developers to optimize their apps for larger screens.
This update from Google is particularly exciting for owners of the Pixel Fold, Google’s foldable phone. Unlike Samsung’s approach, Google does not employ hacks to force apps into landscape mode on its foldable devices. Instead, Google incentivizes developers to natively support landscape mode, resulting in a more seamless and optimized user experience.
Google’s move to prioritize apps that offer good full-screen support is long overdue. It is a step toward ensuring that Android users can fully utilize the capabilities of larger screens on tablets and foldable devices. By highlighting and ranking apps that meet the large screen app quality guidelines, Google is encouraging developers to prioritize optimization for larger screens.
This update will benefit both app developers and users. Developers who invest in optimizing their apps for larger screens will gain better visibility and higher rankings in search results. This can lead to increased downloads and revenue. Users, on the other hand, will have access to a wider range of apps that are tailored to their device’s screen size, resulting in a better overall user experience.
In conclusion, Google’s decision to highlight apps with good full-screen support on Android tablets and foldables is a positive move for the Android ecosystem. By incentivizing developers to optimize their apps for larger screens, Google is prioritizing the user experience and encouraging the development of high-quality apps. With these changes, Android users can expect an improved app selection and a more seamless integration of their devices’ larger screens.
