Google is testing a small but useful feature for the Play Store

July 21, 2023 Luisa Rey

Google is currently testing a new feature for the Play Store that lets you see how apps will behave if you install them on multiple devices. This feature can be very useful for people who have multiple devices such as smartphone, tablet and Chromebook.

Test apps on multiple devices

It’s twitter AssemblyDebug which shows how the new feature for the Play Store works. He has discovered new ‘device chips’ on the detail page of an app in the Play Store (via Android Police). These buttons are for tablets, Chromebooks, phones, watches, and TVs. A “chip” is the term used for those little context-sensitive buttons that appear at the top of lists to help you quickly filter through them.

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For example, if you tap on a tablet or Chromebook chip, the most important parts of the app page will change, such as the app screenshots. This gives you a good idea of how an app will look and behave on other devices. Like Google Meet on your phone, tablet or Chromebook. In addition, other important information is also adjusted per device. Think of the number of times the app has been downloaded, the rating and the size of the app.

If the test is successful, the chips on app pages could be a great alternative to Google’s “Other devices” in the Play Store. That’s a menu you’ll see on the Play Store’s home page that lets you view a wider range of apps available for other Android-related devices. It’s also a useful improvement to the drop-down menu next to the install button, which lets you quickly download the same app on your phone and smartwatch, for example.

At the moment, this updated view of the Play Store is not yet available to everyone. It is a test, so it is not known whether and when Google will put the buttons in the Play Store. Do you see the ‘chips’ yet? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.