As reported in a Google Play system update back in September, the Wear OS Play Store has begun its new redesign.
First shown at Samsung’s Unpacked event last month with the unveiling of the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, this redesign begins with the search button now placed in a dial rather than a circle.
Next comes “Explore All” with three app suggestions along with a “See More” button. You get the name of the app, its icon, and its rating. Then ‘Recommended for You’ and ‘Popular now’ are followed by big cards for Watch Faces, Streaming Music, Essential Clock Apps, and Healthy Mind and Body.
The last section is directed to “Browse and install apps from your other devices”, i.e. your phone, with the ability to open the Play Store on the said device. Manage Applications and Settings round out the page. It’s a pity that the former is still buried for the purpose of checking for app updates.
via u/trlef19
By contrast, the current design is too heavy and boring text. Promoting apps directly on the main feed may encourage people to download more stuff for their wearable devices and increase developer interest. It’s the latest sign that the wearable design has united around displaying most content in one view rather than having users dive into different menus.
The current report on this redesign is published in Version 31.2.10-26 of Google Play for Wear OS. However, the renewal is rolling out with a server-side update, and it’s not yet widely seen for most people today.
Meanwhile, Google is also working on rolling out:
When users install an app on their Wear OS device and it requires a companion app, their mobile device will automatically install the companion app.
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