Google Play Store tests advertising apps

SAN FRANCISCO: Google has started testing advertising applications in the search field over history in the Play Store.

With the update, the search field will show three applications with which the user had never interacted or searched for, reports 9To5Google.

The search history will only appear after the user types a letter. After that, the previous searches will be displayed first and then the autocomplete recommendations.

It is still unclear "whether those applications paid to appear or whether they're suggestions", the report said.

Right now, when the user taps the search bar it displays the four most recent searches and also brings up the keyboard.

Earlier, the tech giant had announced to add new features to the Play Store for better listing of apps next year.

The company showcased the changes at its annual developer conference I/O earlier this year.

The tech giant was also redesigning the Play Store for large screens using the screenshots, videos and descriptions directly in Apps and Games Home.

The target of the content-forward approach was to better represent the apps in the store and help users to make install decisions, Google said.