I’m sure the vast majority of the Android users out there have never given a second thought to what the search results for apps look like, but Google has decided to give these results a visual upgrade nonetheless. The company has started rolling out an update for app searchers that displays the search results in a sleeker, more grid-like fashion that looks pretty nice, but it’s not all about aesthetics. As with most redesigns, this update is supposed to increase the discoverability and engagement of apps.
Google is making it easier than ever to find Android apps through searches. A new update changes the way apps entries appear in the search results when you look for a particular kind of app – say rpg games, or music apps – on Google Now or Chrome (for now) on your Android device. Instead of catering a number of Web links to you, the company is now offering users results in a grid of six apps under the Apps section. Clicking on the section opens a wider list of apps. Clicking on any entry takes you to its corresponding Google Play link, as you would expect. The search result also follows Material Design guidelines, which the company has been aggressively bringing across all of its apps and services. The update, which seems to be gradually rolling out to Android users, lists down entries that are placed next horizontally and vertically to each other, replacing the earlier list view of a few relevant apps in search results. Interestingly, if users click on the Apps tab (on top in Chrome, and the bottom in Google Now) to filter search results, they are shown app results in the earlier list form.
