Android started out as a mobile OS for phones, but it has quickly expanded to run on more form factors. These days, you can use Android apps on thebest tablets out there, TVs, watches, laptops and computers, foldables, and of course phones. TheGoogle Play Storeaccommodates for all these form factors, but it also means that shopping for new apps on a different device may sometimes not show you the full picture of what expects you on one of your other handsets. That’s where new filtering chips for app listings might come in handy.
Asspotted by @AssembleDebug on Twitter, the Google Play Store is experimenting with a new row of chips at the top of the installation options on app listings. It allows you to select different form factors, like phones, TVs, watches, tablets, and Chromebooks. Depending on which you choose, the listing changes slightly. The average star rating will only be aggregated from reviews on the selected device type, and the screenshots are filtered to show only the ones that are relevant to your selected form factor.
@AssembleDebug speculates that this is another feature addition to make the “Install on other devices” feature more useful. you may access it by tapping the down arrow next to the install button on a Play Store listing, allowing you to install an app on one or more different devices at the same time. Being able to quickly check out if an app will work well on your tablet or Chromebook might make the decision easier. The chips are also similar tothe newOther devicestabthat’s available for some in the Play Store home screen, allowing you to filter similarly.
Right now, the filtering chips in the app listings don’t appear to be live yet or rolled out widely. Like with most other things that @AssembleDebug spots, they were likely activated with hidden development flags, which can give us a look at upcoming features. Given that the buttons are functional and the filters work, we would expect the feature to launch widely sooner rather than later, though there is never a guarantee that unannounced options will truly launch.
