[play_store_downloads]

A new Google Play Store update v3.8.15 has just started rolling out to Android devices. The new version updates 3.7.15 from the end of July, and so far outside of a minor cosmetic change, I wasn't able to pin down just what exactly is new. Something definitely is, because the apk is 300KB larger than the three previous 3.7.XX ones. Here are some historical sizes:

  • com.android.vending-3.5.19.apk 3.81MB
  • com.android.vending-3.7.11.apk 5.07MB
  • com.android.vending-3.7.13.apk 5.07MB
  • com.android.vending-3.7.15.apk 5.07MB
  • com.android.vending-3.8.15.apk 5.35MB

As you can see, each time the Play Store was updated to the next 3.X, there was a considerable jump in file size (as well as functionality).

Update: And here's the explanation for the increase in size: Google Is Gearing Up To Finally Introduce Play Store Gift Cards and A Wishlist [APK Teardown].

The cosmetic change I was talking about is nothing more than simple underlining of tabs. It's possible there are more sizable changes in non-app parts of the Play Store, but I haven't found them just yet. If you do, definitely let us know!

Here are some things I checked for:

  • More tabs or sort/filter options in the My Apps UI - nada.
  • Long-pressing on apps in My Apps and hoping for a context menu - no way.
  • Anything new in app reviews/comments - you wish.
  • More tabs in app browsing (perhaps the return of the Just In section) - nope.
  • New Settings - zilch.
  • Saving the position in a scrolled down list of apps after clicking into an app and back - yes! Just kidding, it's not there.
  • New sections or UI elements on app pages - do svidanya.

And now for some screenshots and download links.

Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing Play Store. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take weeks, download and install it just like any other APK and enjoy the new Play Store experience.

Thanks, Luis Coelho!