Google Play - A Brief Introduction
Google Play is the most loved and most used app marketplace on Google. However, its limitations of being only a mobile app store made it not so ideal for developers and especially app buyers. With the introduction of the Google Play Store, Google has finally opened its doors to other types of mobile apps, specifically Android apps. In fact, Google has introduced a whole new interface called "Google Play app" which makes it much easier for users to buy apps.
Developers can now publish Google Play apps on the Android Market directly from their websites. This gives them access to a wider customer base than what they had before. The Google Play app brings along with it a wide array of benefits for both the buyers and the sellers. First of all, this app offers a way for people to purchase apps without having to download them from Google. This means that users won't have to spend extra on Google Play apps as they will be able to access apps that are sold by third parties.
Another big advantage that the Google Play app offers is its simplified user interface. Even if an app hasn't been downloaded by a Google account, the Google Play Store allows the user to browse through the marketplace and determine if the app is worth downloading. Once a user decides whether or not to install the app, he/she would have to give out some personal information. This way, the app would be better managed by the developer, as Google Play would not be able to gather sensitive information from a random smartphone.
Google Play Store apps can also be updated directly by the user himself/herself. Since apps can update themselves, it becomes easier for Google to understand the current state of the user's need for app updates. Google is trying to take the hassle out of purchasing apps since the process would involve the user himself/herself visiting the store, purchasing the app and then downloading it directly from the Google Play Store.
Google has however, made it clear that one shouldn't simply download any random app to the Google Play. These downloads may not be supported by Google in case they have already implemented an update for the same application. Google Play Store apps can be run only on devices which are Google-compatible. The company will only allow its Play Store applications to be run on Google smartphones running on Kit Kat 4.4 and higher. Apart from this, there are other requirements too, such as having Google Play on your PC or smart phone.
Google Play app users can also get a Google Play gift card, which would enable them to purchase apps that are eligible for free. To get the gift card, one just needs to visit the Google Play Store and sign up. This process is fast and easy. After signing up with the site, Google would then display the Google Play Store application's interface. The application would then prompt the user to enter his credit card details so that Google could process the gift card.
Users need to check their email on a regular basis and sign in to the Google Play Store to unlock the application's benefits further. If a user is not a Google Play customer, he can still use the application by visiting the Google Play Store's website and logging in with a user name and password. This process would allow a new user to browse through the Google Play Store and select the app of his choice.
The Google Play app does not require any additional hardware or software to run. It can therefore run on any smartphone that supports Android platforms. However, most Google Play Store apps do not require any monthly charges for users. Google Play would, at times, charge a small fee every month for the service. These fees are however only applicable to purchases made within the Google Play Store's marketplace.