Overshadowed by AI news this year, Google's I/O 2024 developer conference also focuses on new features for those building for Android. Google Play is in the spotlight this year with new discovery features for apps, new ways to acquire users, updates to Play Points, and other features in developer tools like the Google Play SDK console and Play Integrity API. Enhancements are being made. thing.
Of particular interest to developers is something called the Engage SDK, which introduces a way for app makers to introduce content to users in full-screen, immersive experiences that are personalized to each individual user. However, Google says this is not a surface that users can see at this time.
Instead, the Engage SDK is available as a developer preview so developers can take advantage of the upcoming surface to highlight the most important content from users' installed apps, personalized recommendations, and promotions. If your users already have apps installed, you can highlight the most important content in those apps. If the user doesn't have the app installed, developers can use this space to showcase the app's most appealing features. You can also offer personalized promotions and sales.
To take advantage of this new feature, developers must integrate with the Engage SDK (this takes approximately one week to complete). At this time, the Engage SDK is available as an invite-only preview.
Play Points, the Play ecosystem's rewards program, is used to launch coupons, discounts, and exclusive in-game items. It's also now easier to monitor these promotions through the Play Console, allowing developers to better optimize their campaigns.
Google also made it easier to integrate with Play Games Services and expanded the Google Play Games program for PC to more than 140 markets. The program's catalog currently includes more than 3,000 titles, according to the company.
For SDK developers, Google is opening up the SDK console to all SDK manufacturers, as long as they are distributed by a legitimate Maven repository source that Google can verify. First released in 2021, the SDK console aims to help SDK makers improve performance by providing tools such as crash reporting, insights, and the ability to communicate more directly with developers. . This enhancement also enables smaller SDKs and open source SDKs that were not previously supported. This will allow a wider range of SDK manufacturers to provide developers with the tools to fix bugs and issues and update their SDK versions to comply with the latest Play Store guidelines.
Developers can also share crash reports and ANR (application not responding) errors with SDK owners to help us improve.
Image credit: Google
The Play Integrity API released in 2022 has also been updated. This API helps developers ensure that user actions and server requests come from an unmodified version of their app as a way to protect against risk and fraud. This time he will add three new features. One is the public beta of “App Access Risk,” which lets apps know if another app is capturing the screen, displaying an overlay, or controlling the device. (However, it is not triggered by features used for accessibility.) The API can now respond with Play Protect verdicts. This allows developers to know if Play Protect is turned on or if known malware is detected on the device. Another feature, Recent Device Activity, will allow developers to detect automated traffic or devices making a large number of requests that could be a sign of an attack, Google said.
To help developers acquire and engage users, the Play Store is rolling out custom store listings. This allows developers to modify listings and optimize them for different audiences. You'll also be able to create lists based on the keywords people are searching for, and the Play Console will make keyword suggestions. Google's Gemini AI can also be used to create app descriptions.
Image credit: Google
Following other changes to make the Play Store more useful for users using different form factors, such as tablets and watches, you can now see screenshots, ratings, and reviews specific to each form factor in your listings. Ta. This also helps users filter apps by device type and explore pages dedicated to apps for “other devices.”
Developers with deep links to their apps, or links that direct to specific pages within their apps, can now update those links without submitting the app update for review. Instead, you can use the deep link patching feature in the Play Console to try out different links before pushing them live.
The company also talked about various changes made to Play Store Commerce, including UPI in India, support for Pix in Brazil, the ability for parents to approve their child's purchases within Google Family Settings, and the ability to ask a question in India. explained. Allow family and friends outside of your family group to purchase apps and in-app products. The latter is handled by sharing a payment link via text or email.
Google says it automatically updates Play Store prices to reflect currency fluctuations against the US dollar and allows developers to price their products up to US$999.99 (or local equivalent). Ta. Developers can also use the new Play Billing Lab app to test features and improve the customer experience for one-time purchases and subscriptions.
The installment subscription feature, now in early access in some markets, allows customers to pay for long-term subscriptions over time. So far, the program has increased total subscriptions by 8% and user spending by 4%, but Google did not say when it would roll out the program more broadly.
Image credit: Google
Google says developers will need to upgrade to Play Billing Library 7.0 later this month to take advantage of this feature.
