In a long-awaited change, the Google Play Store is finally addressing a major point of frustration for Android users. The platform now supports simultaneous downloads, allowing you to install two apps at the same time. This marks a significant shift from the previous one-app-at-a-time restriction, promising a more streamlined and efficient app download experience.In a significant update, Google Play Store is set to introduce a feature allowing users to download multiple apps simultaneously. This new functionality, aimed at enhancing user experience, reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and improve efficiency on the platform.
Details of the Update With the latest Play Store update, version 40.0.13, users will be able to activate experimental flags that enable parallel downloads. Initially, this feature will allow two apps to be downloaded at the same time, with the potential to expand to five simultaneous downloads during further testing phases.
How Does It Work?
The functionality is refreshingly simple. When you choose to download an app from the Play Store, it will initiate the installation process as usual. Now, if you select an additional app, the Play Store will begin downloading and installing that one too, concurrently with the first.Currently, the feature has a limit of two simultaneous downloads. Additional app installation requests will enter a “Pending” state until one of the active downloads completes.
A Welcome Change While app download speeds are often dependent on your internet connection, this change eliminates unnecessary waiting time. No more staring at a single download progress bar! This is especially convenient when you quickly need a couple of new apps on your phone.
Availability and Future Updates
Reports indicate the feature is gradually rolling out to devices and is currently confirmed on Pixel phones with Google Play Store version 40.6.31 or later. It’s unclear when this functionality will become universally available across all Android devices.Unfortunately, this initial rollout does not yet apply to app updates. Google may be testing the waters with new app downloads before extending the feature to the update process.
A Win for Android Users The ability to download multiple apps at once is a small yet impactful upgrade to the Google Play Store. This user-friendly change demonstrates Google’s continued efforts to optimize the Android experience.
Current Limitations and Future Prospects While this update marks a pivotal change, it is important to note that parallel downloads will not apply to app updates within the “Manage apps & device” section, which will continue to update sequentially. Additionally, older devices might face limitations handling simultaneous downloads, suggesting that further beta testing might be necessary.
Background and Anticipation The anticipation for parallel downloading has been building for years, with previous hints at such a feature surfacing as far back as three to four years ago. Now, as this functionality becomes a reality, it positions Google Play Store on par with Apple’s App Store, which has already implemented similar features.
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