Google is currently testing several new features for the Play Store, including a somewhat obscure feature called “Cubes.” Here’s a look at what the company could have in store for us in future versions of its App Store.
Google is testing three new featuresOne of them can be found under the name “cubes”. The latter may allow you to discover apps and games by category. the play store It also hides a floating bubble called “Download Buddy” that displays the progress of downloading apps.
As always with Google, the features presented below should be taken with caution, as the company may decide not to integrate them after testing them.
The mysterious “cubes” feature in the Google Play Store
Found in application code by com.TheSpAndroidThe cubes could be part of new features that Google is testing for its Play Store. This is an interface that groups apps and games according to different categories, such as food, games, music, reading, shopping, or even video.
Each category will correspond to a cube, and each cube will contain a row of rectangles representing applications. The idea will be to make it easier to discover new apps and games based on your interests.
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To access the cubes, there will also be a widget on the Play Store home screen, with icons corresponding to the different categories. By clicking on the icon, you can open the corresponding cube, and you can scroll through the suggested applications.
At the bottom of the screen, there will also be a navigation bar with Cube 0, Cube 1, and Cube 2 tabs. It’s not yet clear what these tabs are for, nor whether the number of cubes is limited to three.
The function of the cubes is not yet complete, and their appearance is very basic at the moment. Google may change or remove this feature before it is officially released. We also don’t know when it will be available or to which users.
Download buddy, your new friend
Download Buddy is another feature that Google is testing for its Play Store. It’s a floating bubble that appears on the side of the screen when you tap the install app button.
This bubble shows you the progress of the app download, without having to return to the page in question. You can click the bubble to view more details about the download, such as speed or time remaining.
Download Buddy can display up to 10 apps at the same time. If you download more apps, they will be queued and appear in the bubble when it’s their turn. You can also cancel an app download by long-pressing the bubble and dragging it to the bottom of the screen.
New filters in the works?
The Play Store is also introducing new filters to help you find apps that are compatible with your device. These are the bullets that appear at the top of the screen and indicate the type of device (tablet, watch, TV). By tapping a bullet, you can filter apps that are optimized for the chosen device.
These filters are useful if you have multiple Android devices and want to know which apps are suitable for each. For example, if you have a tablet and a smart watch, you can filter for apps designed for the tablet or watch.
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You can also see the apps that are compatible with both devices. These filters are not yet available to all users, and may vary by region.
