An update to the Google Play Store, where ads will appear when the search bar is opened, is said to be under testing.
9To5Google (Opens in a new tab) I found that the company is considering replacing recent history with advertisements. The change was detected on a device running version 33.0.17-21 from the Play Store.
The current default behavior of the search function for most users is that when activated, the four most recent searches appear as suggestions in Android apps outer space.
play store ads
to many android phone For users, browsing the Play Store for new apps is not part of their habits – instead they head straight to the search bar to search for a specific app in mind.
Google has likely noticed this, and is experimenting with a new change that could significantly increase ad serving.
Also, the search history may not be particularly useful to many users, so it would make sense from a Google perspective to replace it with something more financially beneficial to the company.
The launch may be part of the latest Play Store update – Version 33.0.17-21 – which includes a section on “New features to help you discover the apps and games you love”.
Google isn’t the only company that’s changed the way ads work in its App Store: Apple’s App Store recently underwent some updates, too. Ads are now displayed in the App Store’s “Today” tab along with suggestions within each app’s menu, which is illustrated by an “ad” icon with a blue background.