Google Play Store Gets Convenient 'Collections' App Shortcut
Google Play Store introduces a new 'Collections' app shortcut, offering direct access to curated content feeds without the need for a homescreen widget.
By Blip Tech
1 min read
Summary
Update (2/24)
- Rollout of Collections App Shortcut: The new feature is now widely available with Google Play Store version 45.0.21.
- How to Get It: Users can update the Google Play Store from the avatar menu in Settings > About > "Update Play Store." After updating, open the app and long-press the homescreen icon to see the shortcut.
- Impact on User Experience: The new app shortcut might interfere with the existing 'My apps' shortcut muscle memory.
Original Announcement (2/17)
- New Feature Introduction: Google is introducing an app shortcut for Collections, which previously required a homescreen widget to access.
- Collections Feeds: Users can now launch feeds like Watch, Game, Read, Listen, Food, Shop, and Social directly from the app shortcut.
- Widget Replacement: The smallest widget configuration was 2x1, showing up to four shortcuts. Now, Collections can be launched more conveniently without taking up homescreen space.
- Version and Availability: This feature is being tested with version 44.8.15 of the Google Play Store but has a server-side component. Version 44.9 will bring the feature to Android 10-12 users in the US.
- Launch Timeline: Collections was first announced in July and rolled out more widely in September last year.
