Possible Google Play Store redesign follows Android L's lead

Google Play
New Play Store may put a greater premium on media

Google promised to reshape the entire look of its OS with the advent of Android L, bringing the flat, almost paper-like Material Design scheme announced at this year's I/O to each of its properties.

Now, it seems the new look will indeed extend to the Google Play Store, if leaked photos from an Android news site are grounded in reality.

Android Police got ahold of some screenshots showing off a flatter and more streamlined Google Play Store. From the leaked shots we can see the interface has been reconfigured for a simpler look, with fewer frames containing images and text.

Rather than splaying out app information across a device's whole screen, the Material Design rehash looks like it will move everything to a centralized pane.

On smaller smartphone screens, it seems Google also plans to bring a greater focus to apps themselves. From the purported preview, we can see the description has been bumped to a higher position on the page, while moving stars and sharing options to a lower section.

Google, Google Play, Material Design, apps, virtual storefronts, redesigned Google Play Store, apps, Newstrack

The current Google Play Store (credit: Android Police)

Google, Google Play, Material Design, apps, virtual storefronts, redesigned Google Play Store, apps, Newstrack

And the potential redesign (credit: Android Police)

Made for media

Media on Google's virtual store, including movies and music, will supposedly get the biggest overhaul. While looking at films, users should be able to play a trailer attached to the top of the page.

Music albums meanwhile will have their artwork blown up to stand in as the background for the entire page.

Overall it's a much cleaner and more attractive look than the busy webpage aesthetic of the current Play Store.

The new look will match the redesigns the search company made to Google Plus and Drive - just keep in mind these are leaked shots from pre-released software. Anything and everything could change before Google actually pulls back the veil on any of these redesigns.

Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.

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