Google has, at last, released a web-based version of its Android app market, meaning that for the first time Android users can browse and download apps on the internet.
Yesterday, Google held an event at their headquarters to show off the latest version of the Android operating system – Honeycomb. At the event, the Android Market Webstore was also unveiled by Android engineering director Chris Yerga.
Previously, Android users could only access the 100,000+ apps via their mobile handsets, which wasn’t ideal.
Apple iPhone users have of course had this privilege since day one, so this is a good move for Android as it continues to battle with Apple over share of the mobile market.
*Image courtesy TechCrunch*
Yerga notes that up until know, the only way to find and install apps was via the Market on your phone. But now users can simply go to their browser. And it’s more seamless than something like the iTunes native app because when you select an app, it can be set up to download automatically to your Android device.
Yerga says;
“There’s no wires, no syncing with computers. None of that sort of nonsense. Everything is connected.”
The new marketplace is in general, much more user-friendly – it’s easier to search and navigate, it offers suggestions about popular apps and much like Apple’s App Store, there’s a social element that allows users to email links and Tweet apps to one another.
The new web version of the Market also features better filters for finding apps. And there’s also a device and app manager.
See the Android Market Webstore at market.android.com
