Google has a new plan to promote Android apps outside of the Play Store. It was released last week on your Google I/O 2024 Developer Conference, where the company talked about a plan to re-engage users with apps they already have installed on their devices, as well as new ones, giving developers a place to showcase their content in a unique way. The company already has more than 35 developer partners on board to test the new offering, including Spotify, Pinterest, Tumblr, TikTok and Shopify.
In a developer session at I/O, the company went into more detail and said the new SDK would help Google expand its core mission of connecting the right audience with the right content at the right time. Developers who choose to integrate with today Invitation-only Engage SDKas it's called, it will have a way to bring users back to its app by displaying interesting content, promotions and offers, the company said.
“This new surface will automatically organize the best and most frequent content from the apps already installed by users on their Android phones, and allows continuation trips between apps for almost all app categories,” explained Mekka Okereke, general manager of applications for Google Play. , during a developer briefing at I/O. “With just a tap, users can launch immersive, full-screen experiences that highlight and organize the most important content in their installed apps.”
The nod to the full-screen immersive experience is reminiscent of something like a TikTok feed, but we understand that's not the case, although Google has yet to explain what exactly this new “surface” is. We've heard it will be exclusive to Android devices, another example of how the company is leveraging its ability to integrate with its mobile operating system to create new experiences that benefit both developers and consumers.
From this “Engage” surface, developers will be able to offer deep links that open specific pages within their mobile applications.
During the presentation, Google showed off what looked like a series of widgets that, when tapped, would take users to some specific task in an app. For example, by tapping on an image of sneakers, the Android user would be taken to a page in a shopping app where he could complete the purchase, perhaps prompting him to purchase something he had saved in his cart. However, the sneakers were displayed within a “surface” that also included other products for purchase in different applications. In other words, instead of having widgets dedicated to a single app, it looks like the new Surface can group content from similar apps together to encourage users to re-engage and complete their journey.
Other companies like Reddit, Uber Eats, and Spotify could also use Surface to help users return to specific experiences related to those apps, such as reading and voting on posts, interacting with playlists, or placing an order.
Spotify says it is still in the process of developing its experience and determining how it would use the SDK. However, he noted that the plan is to use the Engage SDK on all Android devices.
As Okereke explained, developers will be able to bring users back to their entertainment offerings, their browsing sessions, or reorder their favorites or engage in any other app experience.
Tumblr, for example, says it's working with Google to give users more content about things they already like. “Google's Engage SDK is great for Tumblr because our community is unequivocally unique in the way they express themselves. “The ‘yes and’ culture on Tumblr creates an atmosphere that has given rise to some of the best memes and trends on the internet,” said Tumblr COO Zandy Ring. “It's exciting for us to bring that culture to other spaces and invite those audiences back to Tumblr. Integrating with Engage is like opening a two-lane highway that will bring communities together naturally.”
The consumer-facing feature will not only be about reminding users what they want to do within an app, but also prompting them to act by offering them an offer. “You can display personalized recommendations and promotions, ensuring users discover content they would have otherwise missed,” Okereke said.
Additionally, Surface will also recommend apps that users haven't yet installed using “engaging content” from those apps, he said.
The developer preview of the Engage SDK began during I/O, but the consumer experience won't be released until later this year. The Engage SDK is a client-side integration that uses on-device APIs. Developers who have started the work have found that it takes less than a week to get started, Google claims.
Other top apps participating in the Engage SDK trial include Audible, Shein, Dunkin, Wish, Blinklist, Wattpad, Nextdoor, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Rakuten Kobo, Temu, YouTube Music, Google Maps, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Prime. Video, Reddit, YouTube, Uber Eats and others.
