Amidst the buzz surrounding AI developments this year, Google’s I/O 2024 developer conference is also shining a spotlight on advancements for Android developers. This year, particular attention is being given to Google Play, featuring new app discovery functionalities, innovative user acquisition methods, updates to the Play Points rewards program, and enhancements to developer-centric tools such as the Google Play SDK Console and Play Integrity API.
A standout feature for developers is the Engage SDK, designed to allow app creators to present their content through a personalized, full-screen immersive experience tailored to individual users. Although this new surface is not yet visible to users, the Engage SDK is available to developers as part of an invite-only preview. This preview enables developers to utilize the surface for showcasing key content from installed apps, as well as for highlighting app features to users who haven’t yet installed the app. Additionally, it supports personalized promotions and deals.
Integration with the Engage SDK requires roughly one week, and promises to offer app developers a novel way to engage users by emphasizing crucial app content and personalized recommendations.
The Play Points program, which rewards users with coupons, discounts, and exclusive in-game items, has also received an upgrade. Developers can now more easily track and optimize their promotional campaigns through the Play Console.
Google has also streamlined integration with Play Games Services and extended its Google Play Games on PC initiative to encompass over 140 markets, boasting a catalog of more than 3,000 titles.
For SDK developers, Google is broadening access to its SDK Console, originally launched in 2021, to include all SDK makers whose products are distributed through a verified canonical Maven repository. The console offers performance enhancements through tools like crash reporting, insights, and developer communication channels. This expansion will now also welcome smaller and open-source SDKs, enabling a wider array of SDK developers to provide updates that address bugs, issues, and align with the latest Play Store guidelines.
Additionally, developers can now share crash reports and Application Not Responding (ANR) errors with SDK owners, aiding them in making necessary improvements and ensuring better performance.
In 2022, Google introduced the Play Integrity API, which is now receiving significant updates. Designed to help developers verify that user actions and server requests originate from an unaltered version of their app, this API acts as a safeguard against potential risks and fraudulent activities. The enhanced version brings three notable features. Firstly, the “app access risk” feature is entering public beta. This allows apps to detect if another app is capturing the screen, displaying overlays, or taking control of the device, though it exempts functions used for accessibility. Secondly, the API now can provide a Play Protect verdict, informing developers if Play Protect is activated or if known malware is present on the device. Lastly, the “recent device activity” feature enables developers to identify devices generating a high volume of requests, which could indicate automated traffic or malicious activity, according to Google.
In a bid to assist developers in acquiring and engaging users, the Play Store is launching custom store listings. These listings enable developers to tailor their listings and optimize them for various audience segments. They also now have the capability to create listings based on user search keywords, with the Play Console offering keyword suggestions. Furthermore, Google’s Gemini AI can be utilized to assist in crafting app descriptions.
To enhance the usability of the Play Store across various device formats such as tablets and watches, new updates now allow listings to show screenshots, ratings, and reviews tailored to each specific form factor. This enhancement will also benefit users when they filter applications by device type or browse the dedicated section for apps designed for “other devices.”
Developers seeking to manage deep links—URLs that point to a specific page within their application—can now update these links without needing an app review submission. Utilizing the deep links patching feature in the Play Console, developers can experiment with different URL configurations and publish them instantly.
Additionally, Google has outlined several modifications to Play Store commerce. These include support for UPI in India and Pix in Brazil, the functionality for parents to approve purchases for their children within a Google Family setup, and, in India, the option to request app or in-app product purchases from family members or friends outside one’s family group via a shared payment link sent through text or email.
Moreover, Google is automatically updating Play Store prices to account for currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar and now permits developers to set product prices up to USD $999.99 or its local equivalent. Developers can leverage the new Play Billing Lab app to test features aimed at enhancing the user experience for one-time purchases and subscriptions.
The installment subscriptions feature, which is currently in early access in selected markets, enables customers to pay for long-term subscriptions over time. Initial results indicate an 8% increase in overall subscription sign-ups and a 4% rise in user spending. However, Google has not disclosed a timeline for broader availability of this feature.
Google has announced that developers seeking to utilize the latest features will need to upgrade to Play Billing Library 7.0 later this month.
