Google announced on Tuesday a major overhaul of the Play Store interface and functionality, integrating Gemini AI and new navigation tabs to boost personalization and user engagement.
The update expands the Play Store’s role as a central content hub, building on previous features like media-focused tabs and “Collections,” which categorize apps and games by usage—such as shopping, watching, or listening, according to Aurash Mahbod, VP and General Manager of Google Play Games.
“For over 4 billion users, Google Play is an important gateway to discovering apps, games, books, movies, TV, and timely cultural content, and our ambition is to help all users engage with the apps and content that fuel their needs and interests,” Mahbod stated during a press briefing.
AI Search and new Apps tab
Google is introducing “Guided Search,” an AI-powered tool that allows users to discover apps by entering goals or general ideas rather than specific titles. For instance, a search for “find a home” will surface relevant real estate applications.
The Apps tab now features “curated spaces” that aggregate content from multiple apps based on seasonal topics or user interests. In the U.S., this includes WNBA-related content. This follows similar regional launches in India and Japan, which highlighted cricket and comics, respectively. Additionally, Korean users will receive a dedicated video content space, reflecting the high consumption of short-form media on mobile devices.
A personal home with the You tab
The new “You” tab serves as a centralized dashboard for user activity, tracking subscriptions, rewards, personalized recommendations, and app updates. It simplifies the user experience by allowing quick access to previously consumed content, including podcasts, e-books, and movies.
Gamers will also utilize the “You” tab for their profiles, which now consolidate stats and achievements across devices and support custom GenAI avatars.
A new Games tab and AI ‘sidekick’
The updated Games tab centralizes community, rewards, and leaderboards. Play Games Leagues are also launching, with the first competition featuring Subway Surfers from October 10 to October 23.
The most significant addition is the “Play Games Sidekick,” an in-game overlay powered by Gemini Live. This feature provides real-time gaming assistance, allowing users to ask for tips without exiting the game. “We’re leveraging the latest Gemini audio-to-audio model to help understand your gaming context, providing you quick responses and encouragement,” Mahbod explained.
The Sidekick initially supports titles from EA and Netmarble, such as Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, FC Mobile, and Solo Leveling: Arise. Additionally, game detail pages are being enhanced with event info and community Q&A features, and Google Play Games for PC is officially exiting beta today.
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