Remote Install
Increased scrutiny on lagging Android ecosystem allowed for Google to invest and win on “Better Together” initiatives to stay competitive.
Role
Design Lead
Team members
Kelly Lambert, Darien Henry
For each of the major non-mobile platforms, Google Play has launched a native versions of the Store experience, thus supporting the ecosystem and driving user adoption. However, the inherent nature of some of these non-mobile form factors (i.e. TV, car, watch) have limited connectivity, limited inputs, and/or small screen sizes, which makes it difficult to provide an ideal user experience through a native app.
OEMs often require the use of a companion app to setup and manage their devices. These companion apps usually provide inconsistent experiences that differ significantly depending on the OEM and the specific device. As a result, as users acquire more devices, they have to deal with a fragmented and inconsistent user experience. Discovering and managing apps becomes far from simple.
Improve the overall Play Store non-mobile user experience by providing a companion and complementary, second screen solution. By position the phone as the hub for app discovery and management for any device, we enable a more consistent, familiar and streamlined overall experience for users.
1.
Hardware constraints of non-mobile devices make it difficult to provide an ideal native Play Store experience —
Limited inputs, connectivity, screen size, etc…
The proposal is to leverage the phone experience as a complementary companion solution to improve the native non-mobile Play Store UX, specifically for app install.
2.
Deliver a design solution that fully respects users’ preference and provides ultimate convenience and control —
User’s choice when and where to install…
The approach provides, convenience, transparency and trust; addressing previously identified UX research findings around apps auto install/sync.
3.
Test experience to limited group of apps and games (<1%) which work well with non-mobile devices —
Only top quality apps & games…
The goal is to strengthen the broader Google ecosystem while aligning with the Better Together strategy; bringing users both joyfulness and usefulness
Press.
Wear OS Apps Just Got Easier to Download.
—
Gizmodo
Google is making it easier to find Wear OS apps on the Play Store.
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The Verge
This is the simplest way to discover and install apps on your Wear OS watch.
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Android Police