Google’s Monthly System updates for Android are designed to improve user experience with the addition of new features. These updates are generally limited to routine patches for the Android system, Play Store, and Play Services. The July 2023 System Update, on the other hand, has contained more than just bug fixes, with an upcoming Google Wallet feature being detailed in the changelog and then disappearing mysteriously, only for a Google spokesperson to confirm its arrival later. Another addition has caught our eye among the list of changes, specifically related to the improved visibility of new offers and promos for games on the Play Store’s homepage.
We’ve spotted the mention of this promotional content feature within the July 2023 Google System Updates changelog, detailing how Android smartphones can now “see whether new events, updates, offers, and content are available within an app or game” from the Play Store’s home screen.
The feature already appears to have been live for some time on the web version of the Play Store, which also has the benefit of displaying more promotional content, whereas mobile users are restricted to single swipeable cards on top of the screen. Switching to landscape orientation offers a broader view of the available deals on games, however. These changes are part of the Google Play Store version 36.5 update, which began rolling out to devices on July 3.
These cards only appear on the Games tab in the Play Store (for now), with each card marked with “Special Event” on the top left. A bulk of these promos highlight some of the most popular mobile games in the business, including Roblox, Clash of Clans, Pokémon Go, etc. Meanwhile, navigating to the last card in the carousel takes you to a hub page containing all “offers & events.”
This is a nice addition to the Play Store experience, encouraging users to discover additional developer-specific discounts. Some of these offers let you earn Play Points, too, which can be redeemed towards exciting products, such as a limited-time Android plushie that popped up recently. The availability of these redeemable items could be limited based on your geography, however.
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