Google Play Store Testing a Better Way to Show Download Progress

Samsung Galaxy phones come pre-installed with two app marketplaces: the Galaxy Store and the Google Play Store. The latter boasts a much more diverse and extensive collection of apps, which is why many of us tend to stick with it. Now, an app teardown shows that the Play Store might soon make it easier to keep tabs on download progress.

Google Play Store will soon show download progress in notifications

Android Authority tore down Google Play Store v46.1.37-31, where they spotted a new download progress bar. The publication notes that the changes aren’t live yet, but they managed to activate the feature behind the scenes. Before diving into the details, you can take a sneak peek at how it will look once the changes roll out, courtesy of Android Authority.

As you can see, the Play Store will introduce a revamped download progress notification with a more informative layout. On the left side of the notification, you’ll now find the app or game icon enclosed within a circular progress bar, offering a quick, at-a-glance reference for download status. Beside the icon, the notification displays the app’s name, total file size, and a percentage showing how much of the download is complete.

To the right, there’s an “Open” button, designed to launch the app once installation is finished. The new layout also supports showing up to three apps or games that were recently downloaded or installed.

Additionally, a “See more” link will direct users to the Play Store’s Download Manager, which currently doesn’t function. Likewise, the “Open” button appears before downloads are complete and isn’t working as intended just yet. As is often the case with teardowns, there’s no word on an official release timeline. But chances are, the update is just around the corner.