In a fresh announcement from Google, it has been revealed that the Android based Play Store will have a new feature that will highlight the apps which deliver a great Android experience. This feature, being called Android Excellence will keep picking up apps by rotation and will put them up so that the phone users can download and experience those apps.
This move by Google is probably is response to what Apple did the previous week in the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) 2017. Apple has made some major changes to the look and feel of its App Store and going beyond just giving a list of apps in the store, there would be a lot of information on the background to the app’s development, the way to use the app and some interviews and so on. There may also be a feature called the ‘app of the day’.
Google’s plans are not exactly on the same lines but the idea is to make the user’s experience in the Play Store better than what it is now. The way this will work is that you will be presented with a selection of apps within the store that the editor or curator of the store has picked up and suggested for you to try out. They can include games as well.
Some analysts see this move in a different perspective as well. Since these apps will be presented under ‘Android Excellence’, the developers of apps for Android would also be encouraged to put in their best efforts at developing better apps so that they can be showcased. There will be parameters for selection of the apps to be highlighted in this new format. These can include the design and performance aspects of the app which may be ascertained at the testing stage.
The selections will be under two separate heads, Apps and Games. There may be a brief outline on why a particular app is figuring in the list.
The only factor with the current arrangement as far as ‘Android Excellence’ is concerned is that the selections will be reviewed every quarter. Maybe Google will want to observe how it goes for a while and make further alterations in this feature.
For the record, this is not the only way Google rewards the developers. It has the dedicated “Google Play Awards” presented during the I/O developers conference.