Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Code within the Google Play Store indicates that Google is working on a feature internally called “Cubes.”
- From the code available so far, it appears that the feature would help with content discovery across various categories, like what to watch, what to game, what to read, what to listen to, and more.
Most of us use the Google Play Store practically every day without even realizing it, as our Android phones usually auto-update all of their Play Store-installed apps regularly. However, most of us don’t actively open the Play Store that often to discover new apps and content, and we rely on other apps and services for our discovery needs. Google is working on changing that, as its latest feature and widget could help you discover new apps on the Play Store.
As per a report from TheSpAndroid, Google is potentially working on a feature that surfaces new apps, games, and other content from various categories. The feature is referred to as “Cubes” in its work-in-progress form, though it could adopt a new marketing name when the feature is fully developed and released to users. Since the feature is in work-in-progress, we’re piecing together various clues to figure out what Google is working on, and there’s a chance that Google’s vision for the feature is different from our interpretation of currently available code.
“Cubes,” as it exists within the Play Store right now, is a skeleton UI (pictured below) that doesn’t reveal much. There is also a widget associated with the feature (also shown below), giving us the next set of clues in figuring out what this feature is about.
The widget looks like a quick entry point into a discovery section of the Play Store, which I presume would be the skeleton UI. This UI could possibly have curated content based on the various categories we see on the widget, namely recommendations on what to watch, what to game, what to read, what to listen to, and what to eat (??).
Flags within the app correspond to the icons on the widget, though two flags aren’t yet represented. The flags are:
- enable_watch_cube
- enable_games_cube
- enable_read_cube
- enable_listen_cube
- enable_food_cube
- enable_shopping_cube
- enable_social_cube
Further, the Play Store includes a list of more than 15 video and streaming apps, and it is presumed that the “Watch” category above will be populated with content from these apps. From other screens surfaced from within the Play Store, we can further see how the feature leans into surfacing content.
Overall, Play Store’s “Cubes” feature appears to be another surface for content discovery across categories. A widget for content discovery would make it easier for people to find new apps, games, and content. We’re curious to see how the feature develops and goes live in the future.
