Google Play Store Rolls Out New In-App ‘Gift Card Mall’ for Top Brands.

The Google Play Store is significantly expanding its utility, with a new update rolling out that allows users to directly purchase and send digital gift cards from a variety of top retailers and brands.

This new functionality transforms the Play Store from solely a content distribution platform into a centralized digital gifting hub.

The feature is designed to create a streamlined, one-stop shopping experience for users on Android devices.

Dedicated Gift Cards Section Appears.

Users now have a new entry point for digital gifting that is accessible directly through the app’s main profile menu.

A new “Gift cards” option is appearing for some users, nestled between the existing “Payments & subscriptions” and “Play Protect” tabs.

This new section is currently rolling out widely, allowing users to discover and purchase cards without needing to leave the Play Store app.

Beyond Google Play Credit.

While Google Play credit gift cards are available in denominations from $15 to $100, the new feature extends far beyond its own ecosystem.

The section functions as an extensive “gift card mall,” offering digital cards from premier brands across numerous consumer categories.

These categories include Dining, Retail, Fashion, Beauty, Entertainment, and Electronics, making the selection highly diverse.

Seamless Purchase and Digital Delivery.

The in-app process for purchasing a gift card is designed for simplicity and convenience.

Users can select from various virtual card designs, choose their desired monetary amount, and then personalize the gift.

Delivery is handled digitally, requiring only the recipient’s email address or phone number, along with an optional custom gift message.

Powered by Blackhawk Network Partnership.

Google has partnered with global branded payment solutions leader, Blackhawk Network (BHN), to power this expansive new feature.

This collaboration leverages BHN’s extensive digital gifting portfolio and technology, providing the wide range of available third-party brand options.

The move simplifies the user journey, fulfilling Google’s goal to allow users to "discover, purchase and send value without jumping between apps or sites."

Google Play Store Expands "Ask Play About This App" Feature with Gemini AI.

Google is continuing to expand the rollout of its AI-powered "Ask Play about this app" feature in the Play Store. This innovative tool, which integrates the power of Gemini AI directly into app listings, is designed to provide users with instant, conversational answers to their questions about an application's features and functionality.

While the feature was first introduced to a limited number of users and a select group of apps earlier this year, its availability has been steadily increasing. Sources indicate that "Ask Play" is now live for a wide range of popular and new applications across the store, marking a significant step towards a more intelligent and user-friendly app discovery experience.

The tool works by allowing users to either type a custom query or choose from a list of suggested questions, such as "How do I use this app?" or "What are its key features?" The Gemini-powered AI then generates a helpful response directly on the app's detail page, saving users the time and effort of searching for answers on the web or sifting through reviews.

This update reflects Google's strategic focus on infusing AI into its core services to improve the user experience. By providing a conversational layer of information, the company aims to reduce friction for users and help them make more informed decisions about which apps to download.

However, the rollout is still ongoing. The feature is not yet available for every single application on the Play Store, and in some cases, even major Google apps like YouTube and Google Search are still awaiting the update. As is typical with Google updates, this phased rollout allows the company to gather feedback and make adjustments before a full-scale launch. Google also introduced a feature to enable auto-opening the app instantly after installation.

For developers, the continued expansion of "Ask Play about this app" underscores the importance of a well-documented and informative app listing, as the AI draws its information from a variety of sources to provide its answers. As this tool becomes more widespread, it is poised to become a key part of the app discovery journey for millions of Android users. 

Google Play Store Rolls Out New 'Auto-Open' Feature on New App Install.

In a move designed to improve user convenience, Google is rolling out a new "auto-open" feature for the Google Play Store. The update introduces a new toggle that allows users to automatically launch an app once its installation is complete, saving them the manual step of having to find and open the app themselves.

The new functionality appears as an "auto-open when ready" toggle located directly below the installation progress bar. By default, this option is turned off, giving users control over whether they want the app to open automatically. When a user activates the toggle, the Play Store will not only download and install the app but also launch it as soon as it's ready. To prevent accidental openings, the feature includes a 5-second countdown notification that gives users a brief window to cancel the auto-open action before the app launches.

This feature is particularly useful for apps that require immediate use after download, such as a travel app needed right before a trip or a new restaurant reservation tool. It allows users to start the download and then switch to other tasks on their device, knowing the app will be ready to use without any further interaction. While this is a clear benefit for most apps, a potential downside could be for larger applications, particularly games, where the download and installation process can be lengthy.

The new feature is reportedly rolling out widely across various Android devices, including recent models like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and some Pixel phones. The phased rollout is a typical Google procedure, indicating that it may take time for all users to see the new option.

Also Read: Google Play Store Expands "Ask Play About This App" Feature with Gemini AI.