Google to launch ‘Family-friendly’ Google Play Store at I/O later this month

Google I/O is just under two weeks away, so details of what will be announced at the 2.5 hour keynote address have begun leaking out. The first was that unsurprisingly, Android M would be first introduced, and now an email to Android developers is pointing at a Family friendly version of the Play Store may also be introduced.

According to an email being sent to select Android developers, application submissions are being sought for an inclusion in the family focused area by May 28th, which is coincidentally the start date for Google I/O.

Of late, Google has been taking more interest in what apps are being offered to Android users, with new measures being introduced for ‘Freemium’ titles, ensuring that amounts for in-app purchases available in the game are defined in the Play Store listing, as well as announcing they are actively screening titles before publishing in Google Play.

A ‘Family-friendly’ version of Google Play would certainly go a long way – at least PR wise – towards promoting Google as a more acceptable choice for families when deciding which eco-system to buy into.

Apple has long held a lead in this area with their app store submissions being scrutinised – often times rather heavily – since the inception of the App Store. Apple has also introduced better family sharing arrangements for their users, allowing family members to ‘get immediate access to each others’ music, movies, TV shows, books, and apps, and can download them to their own devices any time they like’ – an idea that Google could certainly learn from.

Google I/O begins on Thursday May 28th in San Francisco at 9am – 2am AEST for those wanting to stay up for the live stream – Ausdroid will be on the ground at Moscone West for the announcements and hopefully any followup afterwards.