Google is reportedly working on a redesigned Play Store experience for Wear OS users. Believed to have been originally posted by Redditor u/farmerbb, the Play Store is reportedly showing a redesigned layout for some users as part of an A/B test. From what we can tell, the change is largely cosmetic, with no features added for the time being, although, the new layout does seem a bit more intuitive. The change is reportedly live on the Redditor’s Fossil Sport smartwatch.
According to the post, “The top drawer is now gone with its options moved to the bottom of the main Play Store screen”. Additionally, the ‘Apps on your phone’ section is said to have been moved to its own submenu. What’s more, the ‘My Apps’ page has now reportedly been renamed to ‘Apps on your watch’ to better represent its content. There’s also apparently a separate section for ‘Apps on your watch’. They also posted a few screenshots of the new layout, as can be seen below. If this is true, it will be great for users who use multiple fitness apps on their watch as it will make it easier to find and launch them.
According to a new report from leading data analytics company, GlobalData, the wearable tech industry is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 percent to reach $54bn by 2023.
However, Google has its task cut out if it wants to be a major player in the segment, given that Wear OS continues to lag way behind Apple’s WatchOS and Samsung’s Tizen in the smartwatch stakes. That being the case, it remains to be seen if Google will be able to create any traction for its struggling wearables platform in the days ahead.
