Google unveiled the Play Store’s new “Collections” feature in July 2024, and people in the US are now able to utilize it. By classifying apps into thematic groups, this creative innovation seeks to improve app discovery by providing a more convenient means of accessing personalized suggestions and streamlining app usage.
Accessing Google Play Collections Widget
There are currently two different widget types available in the Play Store that allow users to access the new Collections functionality. Both techniques have different looks, yet they work similarly. The first widget is a little bar widget, and the second is a full feed widget that provides an immersive experience by taking up your whole home screen.
Categories and Content
Apps are organized into many categories, including Watch, Game, Read, Listen, Food, Shop, and Social, after they are activated. A full-screen feed with card carousels recommending appropriate content appears when you tap on any of these categories. Though it does not offer recommendations via the Engage SDK at this time, an app tray at the bottom provides easy access to apps within the selected category.
For example, YouTube Music users can choose from Continue listening, your programs (podcasts), Mixed for you, and recommendations Similar to [artist] under the Listen category. With its integrations with YouTube and Google TV, the Watch category presents material such as From your subscriptions and a variety of genre-based recommendations.
Other feeds include:
- Read: Features Continue reading from Play Books in addition to the other recommendations.
- Food: Shows recommendations for local restaurants using Google Maps and YouTube videos with cooking and recipe ideas.
- Social: has a carousel titled “From your feed” that links to Reddit to provide customized content.
App Library Integration
Among the widget’s most notable features is the App library, which functions as a substitute app launcher. Designed to make your experience more organized, the library groups your apps into sections like Recently added and Top used, among other categories.
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Customization Options
Users can access Collections settings by tapping on their profile avatar in the top-right corner to further customize their experience. From here, users can control the visibility of particular apps and disable or reorganize feeds. This facilitates customizing the widget to fit specific user preferences.
Availability
The Collections widget is currently only available in the US, according to Google, and it is being broadly released through Play Store version 42.5.15. The Collections widget is expected to become the standard for tailored app suggestions and content discovery as more users get to know its features.
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