See how apps look and feel on each of your devices with this upcoming Play Store update

If you’ve ever questioned how an app might appear or operate on your specific device before downloading it, this upcoming Google Play Store update is going to be your new best friend. Google has been consistently working hard over the past several years to enhance both device compatibility for apps and the delivery of pertinent information to users.

Its latest effort seems to be a stride in the right direction and provides you with a one tap preview the app’s functionality and appearance on your particular device type. All credit goes to @AssembleDebug on Twitter, who has given us a first glimpse of a new set of smart chips on app listings as seen in his tweet below!

Google Play is testing a new thing which adds chips on the details page of an app as shown in video below. Tapping on different option shows the different rating, downloads, screenshots etc according to the device type such as TV, Watch, Tablet, Phone and Chromebooks. pic.twitter.com/PkHcpVj3Px

— AssembleDebug (@AssembleDebug) July 20, 2023

So, how does it work? These smart chips allow you to filter out device types. As a result, app ratings, number of downloads, screenshots, and more will adapt based on your chosen form factor’s specifications. It presents a far more realistic and insightful view of how the app will function once you install it on your phone, Chromebook, TV, smartwatch, or tablet and I’m all for it.

In the past, the process to view device-specific screenshots or reviews required many additional taps and a bit of extra navigation. If you wanted to see how an app would appear on a tablet, for example, you’d have to scroll to the far right of an app’s screenshots since tablet versions of the images were uploaded last. Developers kind of just had to make due. Moreover, if you wanted to read reviews specific to your device and its version, you’d have to manually filter them out in the reviews section with a few dropdowns.

This is where the smart chips setup shines, it is about to revolutionize this process. The feature means you won’t have to go through the entire lengthy process just to evaluate if the app will operate to your liking before downloading it. Just tap the chip for your device type, and voila! The entire user experience is instantly customized to your needs. Are you ready for my favorite and most used phrase on this site? “Google should have done this years ago!”

As of now, this update has yet to roll out to everyone (or maybe anyone). AssembleDebug activated it via a developer flag, meaning it’s still in its testing phase. It’s probably not far from its wide-scale release though, so keep an eye out if you’re browsing the store at any point over the next week or two.