Google is testing a curious change to the Play Store on Android that sees a somewhat persistent bottom bar.
Do people really spend that much time in the app store? My experience is I’ve opened the app store once when I installed the phone to install an app. Got maybe 10 seconds of total time in the app store.
Back in the day, it was a really great way to find new apps. And by back in the day, I mean when it was still called the Android Market.
Its initial transition to Play Store in the ICS era also wasn’t too bad. It still kept a lot of the good things from Android Market. But since the launch of Lollipop, things have really deteriorated. It might not have really been the fault of Google, but there’s a lot more noise with subpar apps that crowd the store now. There’s also the incessant ads for sketchy apps featured prominently that leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth.
Like you, I’ve probably spent like 30 minutes on the Play Store over the last 4 years probably. Every app I want today is either on F-Droid, or already pre-installed on my phone. Or they’re PWAs, and it’s easy to install them just by going to the website.
I only go there, usually via an external link, to install new apps or to check for updates for already installed apps.
Google Play is usually way too slow for my liking with applying updates automatically. They tend to sit there for a day or so and are not getting installed for whatever reason, even though they have already been detected.
I haven’t ever seen a useful app in my recommendations, it’s always apps from big tech companies (i. e. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Spotify, Snapchat, …), which I have sub-zero interest in.
