Key Takeaways
- Google recently moved the Play Store search bar to the bottom nav bar, paired with more search criteria.
- In a subsequent change to the bar, Google seems to be testing an auto-hiding nav bar for a more immersive experience.
- The tweak aligns with the bottom bar behavior seen on the Gmail mobile app.
Back in March this year, Google made a slight tweak to the way users find apps and games on the Play Store.
The search bar, which had been situated at the top of the App since almost forever, donned a new placement as a magnifying glass icon in the center of the bottom navigation bar. Tapping on it would trigger a new grid panel, with the search bar appearing on the top, paired with search terms that “You might like,” and a section with app/game genres. Interestingly, tapping the blank space on the top of the app (where the search bar used to be) now shows a prompt that says the search bar has been moved and that it can be found on the bottom nav bar.
Essentially, the change made a simple one-tap process into a two-tap one, though it offers more search criteria as an offset. Now, in a subsequent change, Google is tweaking the Play Store’s bottom bar to behave like it does on the Gmail app. Although not available yet, folks over at Android Authority were able to trigger the behavior in Play Store version 42.6.22, which makes the navigation bar disappear when scrolling.
Although not a massive change, the disappearing bar does offer a more immersive Play Store experience for users, complete with more space for apps and games to show up. The behavior remains on all Play Store screens, including the main feed, apps, search results, and more.
More to come
Once disappeared, the navigation bar only reappears when you scroll back up, aligning with behavior on the Gmail app. It is currently unknown when the redesigned bar might start showing up for users, though in a small video example highlighted by Android Authority, the tweak does look ready for prime time.
Elsewhere, the Play Store now finally lets you update three apps at the same time, up from one. Support for it went live late in August, joining multiple concurrent app downloads. Now, as spotted as part of a very limited test, the Play Store seems to be experimenting with four concurrent app downloads/updates, as seen on Google Play Store 42.4.22-31 [0] [PR] 663941805.
Early leaks have also spotted an ‘Auto-open’ feature, which, as the name suggests, will automatically open apps after you install them. We’re expecting all of these updates to be rolled out widely in the near future.
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