Google is constantly optimizing and fine-tuning our apps through various A/B tests, but the latest tests on the Play Store have been pretty daunting. I’ve noticed that some of the Play Store search results have lost the familiar and convenient install button. This means that you actually have to tap the entire list of apps to install them. However, this behavior doesn’t apply to all results and apps, so the adjustments feel arbitrary and random.
Installs used to be, and still are, displayed in the Google Play Store. A button next to all results returned by a search. It’s a small convenience, but it makes it easier and faster to install apps you find without asking for additional details. Google recently added a drop-down menu to this install button to let you choose which Android device you want to download the new app to.
The install button was available for all regularly listed apps, whether it was the top ad result, the best result displayed just below it, or the result further down the screen. The install button was not available for apps listed in the “related to search” and “you may also like” carousels, which are typically added between the first and remaining results.
Things get even more complicated with the latest searches we found. If you know exactly what app to search for, such as “Adobe Acrobat” for the familiar PDF reader, the expected “Adobe Acrobat Reader” result will have an install button. However, if you scroll down the carousel, you’ll notice that the other results no longer have an install button. Instead there is a chevron that lets you see the screenshot attached to the list, but to jump the gun and install the app in question you have to tap the list and select the download button there. there is.
![google-play-search-result-adobe-acrobat-2](https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/google-play-search-result-adobe-acrobat-2.png)
If you’re not sure what app you’re looking for, for example, if you’re searching for just “PDF reader” instead of a specific app, both the ad at the top and the regular results will completely hide the install button and you can click it to download all Visit the list of apps in
Interestingly, this behavior is not 100% consistent across all searches. For example, searching for “Chrome Canary” and searching for “Canary” alone yields roughly the same behavior, but in the latter search results, the top ad is his one-tap installable. (see screenshot below). However, a more general search for “browser” does not reveal a clickable install button. The only pattern I can identify for various searches here is the number of ads displayed. If there are multiple ads, there will be no install button, but if there is only one, there will be a prominent download option.
Google hasn’t publicly confirmed the change, but you can speculate why the company is testing it. When you search for a specific name for an app, chances are you already know what you want to get and just want a hassle-free way to install it. However, if you have a more general term, or are confusing one app with another, a detailed list first to avoid installing the wrong app, or worse, phishing or scamming. It may be reasonable to properly check the Apps (some of which always bypass Google malware and abuse scanners). In such cases, Google probably wants to force this extra tap to ensure that you at least have the opportunity to read the app, its description and reviews before tapping the install button.
A nasty side effect here is that if you’re someone who installs and uninstalls apps frequently, your queries will need to be more precise to avoid extra taps. Either way, it’s not clear if this change has already been rolled out broadly, so Google is probably still testing the tweaks, and the results are yet to be announced. It’s entirely possible that the company will discontinue the experiment altogether.