Google Play Store gets a new look

By Alex Dobie
last updated

Following some recent leakage, it seems the new look Google Play Store app is finally official. Google has just announced that the new-look Play Store app will begin rolling out to Android devices today.

In today's announcement post on the official Android blog, Google says the new-look app is aimed to be "simple" and "clean," with a renewed focus on entertainment content. Based on the official promo images, that certainly seems to be the case -- Google Now-like greys and whites dominate the UI, while a lot of screen space is given to large images for music, movie and book content.

The purchasing process has also been streamlined, Google says, which hopefully means fewer taps to buy apps and other content through this new version of the store.

The new Google Play Store will begin pushing automatically to devices running Android 2.2 Froyo and above starting today, so keep a lookout in the hours ahead. In the meantime, hit the comments if you've managed to get it already.

Source: Official Android blog

Alex Dobie
Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.

72 Comments
  • Color scheme and arrangement kind of reminds me of Kobo Books. I like it. Feels soft and cozy.
  • Google changed most of the text, especially the smaller text from black to grey on white thus making the lack of contrast more difficult and more strenuous and uncomfortable to read. Why not make the text even lighter grey on white so as to make everything totally unreadable. I previously enjoyed perusing the Play Store. Now viewing the Play Store is so uncomfortable it just pisses me off. No option to change view. I'll bet this design will result in lower participation. From what was difficult to read, the design is less exciting and more difficult to discern featured items. My handset has a high res bright super LCD display. Perhaps the designers use crapo high contrast unnatural color limited greyscale amoled displays. A giant step backward. Horrible and blah.
  • I'm with you - it looks complete pants now. It have to focus really hard on it. It's all Windows 8, with it's white on white theme. Also, I believe it's really slow to operate. It seems to take ages to load search results and during updating of a piece of software, it seems to repeatedly refresh the screen, making it all flickery.
  • My OG Droid will get it!! =D!
  • That color scheme is life!!! I'm happy we don't have to wait to IO..... I remember there being a way you could force the update.
  • Everybody is already trying to clear the Google data on their phones to force it. Which would typically work, but so many are it's not actually going to speed it up right now.
  • I like it but I had no problem with the old layout.
  • Haven't played with the new one yet but I didn't have a problem with the old one either. Kind of liked it.
  • Not on my Nexus 10 or HTC One X+ yet. I'm waiting for a kind soul to upload the APK =P.
  • Upvote
  • this is google you gotta +1
  • Interesting that the phone version seems to have more dark colors to help the AMOLED phones still.
  • Nah they're going tk be the same whether it's phone or tablet, if you look closely the phone is on the main play store page while the tablet is in the books section which accrues for the change in color, I doubt they were keeping amoled displays in mind with these design changes.
  • I doubt it to but you never know.... Someone needs to upload the apk already.
  • How much time do you spend in the app store that you need to worry about if the store is AMOLED friendly? Usually I search, i download, and I am out of the app store within a few minutes.
  • I don't know man. To some people (including myself, in certain ways) browsing the Play Store (or any app store/online retailer) is just like browsing a real store in a physical world.
    There are weekly deals/discounts to view; there are tons of app reviews to read about other user's experiences with a particular app, almost as if you're standing in line at the store, actually getting someone's last minute opinion about what you have in your shopping cart, just before you approach the cashier.
    I want to help grow the ecosystem by getting more paid apps over the free versions, but I need to make sure it's what I'm looking for. That kind of browsing takes time, so I'd say yes, foot some people, the battery consumption of the Play Store sort of matters.
    Just my thoughts, as I was just thinking about this recently. I used up be in and out the Play Store too, but since Google improved the look in Jellybean, it's been much more pleasant to browse around.
  • I will browse the play store briefly from my device if I am on the go, but using it on a computer for extended sessions is the way to go. If i really want to compare a handful of apps, read through reviews and all that goes into agonizing over a $.99 purchase, I do it from the comfort of a 19" monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
  • Just cleared data and got it on my Sprint Note 2 on MacksROM Allstar 3.5
  • Well pull the .apk then
  • If you check out the forums here or check out Droid Life link below someone will be able to guide you through extracting the apk and sharing it with the rest of us now increasingly jealous kids. :)
  • Cleared Data and Force Closed the app and it's not updating on my Nexus 4 running Android 4.2.2 even connected via WiFi still nothing trying a restart to see if that helps the push as well.
  • Seriously, this is more Metro than Windows is. -.-
  • You don't know much about design, right? It's called flat design, and it's absolutly not invented by Windows. Also, the Google vision about flat design it's a lot more accurate, since it's open to much more complex apps, not as the absolute minimalism of Windows 8.
  • I prefer the old one... But I like dark, high contrast UIs
  • I'm a fan of the old one too.
  • Don't really care how it looks but I would love to be able to see the devices section on the Play store app. It is really irritating having to clear defaults so I can view the web version of Google play just to take a look at the next Nexus devices or accessories. I should be able to do that from the Play store app...
  • I agree with you to a point. But we should be able to buy Google Devices from our Android Devices as well all from within the Google Play Store App. For example you bought a new Nexus 10 and you want to buy a Dock for the device directly from Google we should be able to open up the Play Store App and see all the accessories for that device from the app and use our Google Wallets to pay for it :-)
  • I totally agree. But, sadly, it doesn't seems Google wants our money ... no accessory for N10 yet ... ;-)
  • There's a way without clearing defaults. Search for the play store in chrome (I can't confirm if it works on other browsers), but don't click on the link to it from the results. Instead click and hold and open it in a new tab. This way it never opens up the play store, just a background tab with the web version f play store. Needless to say any links from within that tab also needs to be opened in the same way. It's a hassle to open so many tabs (depending on how many times you click from within the web version) but it works and the actual process will feel much slower than my explanation, lol.
  • http://www.droid-life.com/2013/04/09/download-new-google-play-store-4-0-25/ download from here
  • Here is the apk, I just installed it :) http://www.mediafire.com/?h669cym6yzp1fth
  • Thanks but no thanks. I hope nobody's stupid enough to download a random file from some guy on the internet.
  • It's probably legit, course having said that I'm with you completely and wouldn't risk it either ;)
  • the link up there from droid life works. Installed fine on my Nexus 4
  • It works fine.
  • Anyone got it without a manual download? I'm trying data clearing over and over but doesn't seems to get it just jet. I'm on GNex yakju (not x). Don't have my N10 with me, cannot try on it :-(
  • I have written an article about the new Google Play Store and I have a link to the apk file. No ads, affiliate links. The link is here: http://calcunico.blogspot.com/2013/04/google-play-store-new-look-2013-di...
  • installed it already looks pretty good and cleaner.
  • Anybody else who has installed the APK getting a home screen like this? https://www.dropbox.com/s/b9t5evpa94qbakm/Screenshot_2013-04-09-18-09-23... Nexus 4 in the UK.
  • SAme as Above, installed apk and got the same thing using a nexus 7.
  • Probably because the UK hasn't had an official release yet and as such the promotional material isn't loading. Probably be fine tomorrow ish, looks nice on my Touchpad, haven't installed on my phone yet. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xn33hkjcdsrl7o/Screenshot_2013-04-09-22-24-20...
  • Yeah, that's what I thought.
  • Absolutely love it. I thought the old was far to gray and bland. This one really pops and is nice to look at. Way to go google
  • Extremely fast, and I'm still rocking a Nexus S 4g. Looks cleaner, but I like the darker colors from before.
  • If anyone uses Market Unlocker regularly... don't update it because you will lose access.
  • Looks like the old marketplace
  • I never had a problem with the current/old one. They really didn't need to change anything there.
  • Yeah it's horrible IMO!I wish Google would include the option to invert the colours in Gapps...
  • I have uploaded the new APK from: http://www.talkandroid.com/157690-new-redesigned-google-play-store-versi... but all I'm getting is the category boxes and nothing else! :/
  • Yeah same here, like this? https://www.dropbox.com/s/b9t5evpa94qbakm/Screenshot_2013-04-09-18-09-23...
  • I have tha apk if anybody wants it
  • the only thing it needs now is a "Free App of the Day".
  • Just a suggestion, but AC should take a page from Android Police. Their page (link below) provides a lot more information on the Play Store update, such as current and new version numbers and numerous screen shots. :) http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/04/09/download-completely-redesigned-l...
  • Strip with Top Paid, Top free etc. is too big. Icons are too big.
  • http://db.tt/B9NdBnuE
  • Thanks. Works perfectly.
  • Ditto. Thanks.
  • Isn't there usually an apk to download?
  • Only from people pulling the file from their devices. Google doesn't make an apk available for download. They should!
  • nice. after playing with it for a bit. I think the icons are too big and top paid is basically a list. i would of loved the grid view
  • Hey, it's actually beautiful
  • Now it's time to play the waiting game...
  • Still not having "Purchased app section"??
  • This is infuriating! I can't believe how hard it is to go back and find apps that I've bought in the past.
  • my nexus 4 still hasn't received the update :S
  • That's because you have a Nexus 4.
    No special privileges. It will be automatically shoved to you when Google's server deems it's your time.
  • Still awaiting the update, but looking forward to it! It looks must brighter and cheerier than the current one! Wonder if Android 5.0 will be similar to this design --- would be pretty nice!
  • Compared with what it replaced, the new design is bland, less discerning, featured items are really difficult to find. Result Google's Play Store participation and sales will dramatically drop. Google will realize their design mistake and change again within a couple of months.
  • Not liking it so far. Browsing is ok. The icons for each section are a little too big, but not horrible. What really brings it down is that I can't see the price for anything unless I switch to landscape, and then there's too few icons on the screen.
  • They took away the "download via wifi only" option so now it's no longer possible to "queue" apps while on 3G and have them download automatically when I connect to wifi. Not pleased! The new "update via wifi only" option isn't enough to prevent accidental large downloads over 3G :(
  • Certtainly not up to mark.It make reading much more difficult.It has jumbled look,previous look was much better.
  • The NEw Look Is Amazing......love it...!!