By 
In an effort to unify music, movie, book, and app purchases under a banner that is operating system agnostic, Google is phasing out the Android Market in favor of Google Play. What’s the difference? A new name, new logo, but otherwise not much. The content and services remain the same, and don’t worry, you can still push apps from your desktop browser to your smartphone.
Soon Google will be rolling out the Google Play Store to Android devices to replace their current Android Market builds. Any content purchased during the Android Market era will be retained and available via Google Play. See, these aren’t any real sweeping changes. Just Google refocusing their efforts and placing equal importance on all aspects of what was once primarily an app store.
In celebration of the launch of Google Play, a “7 Days to Play” promotion will feature a different book, album, video rental, and app at a special sale price each day (albums are just $0.25). Other deals include $0.49 apps and $3.99 albums. You can read a bit more about Google Play at the source link below. Now the real challenge: getting used to writing Google Play instead of Android Market.
[via Google]
Stupid move IMO
Market sounds way better than play, if you want to buy somthing do you go to a market or do you go & play, case closed. Silly move.
And it’s not a good move to change the name. So many software companies refer to “The Market” and will have to change their material. Very risky thing Google is doing – a very bad one actually.
http://android-vs-iphone5.blogspot.com/2012/03/android-market-is-now-google-play.html
I much prefer “Market” or even “Store”, the “Play Store” just sounds stupid… O_O
Stupid name.. Market sounded much better and was a better description!
So they change the name and some icons, just so they can confuse people? Sorry Google, this has fail written all over it.
I think going to market.android.com was confusing to users wanting to purchase music. This makes a lot more since as Android apps are only a small part of the market now (with videos, music, books all not needing android).
pretty sure you buy books,movies, and videos at a “market”
Market : A regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities.
I agree with everyone, Google Market sounds the best
I understand that since you can now buy music from your desktop and not actually needing an Android device to do so, the “Android Market” name was a little bit confusing. Much like iTunes, they needed a more generic name that would encompass everything but “Play”???? Why not just simplify it with “Google Market” and regroup every offering under a single banner?
Which sounds better? “Yeah, just go out on the Market and download xyz app” or: “Yeah, just go out on the Play, and download xyz app”
Loooove the ad. Hate the name. You hear Google? I HATE THE NAME! You’re steering the public opinion away from the fact that Android is about doing serious things, not stupid crap like music.
No one cares that YOU dont like the name, especially Google. For the record, music, the ability to carry it with you, stream it when and where you want it is very important to a lot of people. Android is still doing serious things, a simple name change on the market and some apps doesnt change that .
Oh. Here I thought there was something new and interesting being rolled out today.
Now I have to try to explain to everyone that google play is the market and not a game market.
Well, if you think about it. You “play” movies, “play” music and “play” games…. and “play”……….. books? Sh*t. -_-
I’d have to admit the weakest point of Android is its game selection and if this could help, there would be less reason to get an Apple product.
an OS cant live or die by its games selection. Google and Android know this. Im glad Android isnt known for its games, it makes it more appealing. Let the gamers get an Iphone, when i want my phone to make an actual phone call, or find something on my GPS, tell me what song is playing in the background of that noisy diner, etc, ill get a superior Android phone.
I’ve always been proud of Android for this particular reason.
http://xkcd.com/662/
Fffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!
Android market sounds more mature.
Cue the Blackberry DJs who want “tools not toys”.
While I agree that market is more appropriate, I do think Google should use Google instead of Android. That way it ensures the user that the content is associated with Google not Android and as such will be available in other Google services and not just limited to android. Music bought from Google’s store on android will be available in Google Music, Books bought available in Google Books, etc
But on the subject of Play vs Market….while I do think market is more appropriate, I think Play sounds better and seeing as how I will not become confused by this change I welcome it…..got the Play music icon/name change update and now awaiting the market/play store.
p.s. Hopefully, Google will now make serious attempts at getting Books / music and movies to (non-US and non-UK) countries
(Because I believe the UK already has access to it? or partially)
So call it Google Market. Who pays these guys? I heard it’s really hard to get through their job approval process.
this.
But then you can’t have Google Play Music, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies.
Because
Google Music Market, Google Books Market, Google Movies Market would be horrible names for apps that do not have any similarity with a market.
They want an overarching store branch-name to link them together. If you named it Google Market…you’d think it will be integrated with everything Google and that might not (yet) be the case. Whereas with the Play moniker you will expect it to be available in Google services that support Play.Google = overarching companyPlay = overarching market brandPlay Store = where you pay for the Play stuffPlay Music = where you play musicPlay Movies = where you play moviesPlay Books = where you read (c-c-c-combo breaker) books PlayBoys = something unrelated to GooglePlaystation = gonna sue Google over the name j/kPlaymobile = gonna be the name of the fourth fully Play integrated Nexus Mobile phone and subject of a lawsuit from toymaker Playmobile
Play is the name under which Google distribute its media/app-content. Just like Android is the name under which Google distributes its OS
Come to think of it….it makes quite a lot of sense
OK why doesn’t Amazon have any silliness like this? Maybe because they actually know something about selling stuff?
because amazon does not need to distinguish its physical merchandise from the digital merchandise. Google Store = Android hats, t-shirts etc, Google Play Store = apps, ebooks, movies, music
“because amazon does not need to distinguish its physical merchandise from the digital merchandise.” If that’s true, then why does Google? Why not have the Google Store become both the physical and nonphysical merchandise label? Why confuse people with two vastly different “stores” to buy products (tangible or intangible) from?
Your reasoning makes absolutely no sense.
Just because it *could* be called “Google Market”, doesn’t mean it then has to be called “Google Music Market”, et. al. Google Market could just be the overall name for the entire store Google hosts, but then have it broken down like it basically is now with Google Apps, Google Music, and Google Movies. As so many others have pointed out, it makes more sense to say “I’m going to buy an [app, song, movie] from the Market” than it does to say “I’m going to buy an [app, song, movie] from [“Google Play” or just “Play”]”. Not only that, but it’s more descriptive of it’s actual purpose. You don’t go to a “Play” to buy things, you go to a “store” or “market”.
Google Market would conflict Google Store (<– the place where you can buy physical merchandise)
They needed a moniker for the software side of their store and they chose Play, because the PLAY-button has been on devices related to software media sinds before 1990.
P.S. Android marketplace is NOT being replaced by Google Play, it is being replaced by Google Play STORE! So that last bit of your comment can be stricken off
So few people know about the Google Store that it wouldn’t cause any confusion. Hell, I didn’t even know there was one till I just looked it up a few minutes ago, and I’m the biggest Google nerd of my friends.
P.S. If it’s being replaced with “Google Play STORE” as you (wrongly) say it is, then tell me why all articles about this change only reference “Google Play”. Tell me why the Google Play website itself only has the words “Google Play”. Tell me why the little grey box sandwiched between the Google services bar and the Google Play logo/search bar says “Introducing Google Play” and *not* “Introducing Google Play Store”. Guess that last bit of YOUR comment can be stricken off.
Google play? Why sounds just like for games only?
who cares… i just want apps. I dont care if they call it “google owns your nuts”
Google Play Music in the Market.
Not a fan of the name, but I really couldn’t care less about what they call it as long as the apps I already bought stay bought. I am looking forward to the promotion though. The $.10 promotion they had a few months back was fun.
I think I’m going to play a book. Then I’m going to play a spreadsheet app.
Damn, why I can like a post only once?
yeah, this is dumb. android market sounds better than google play.
What a load of BS, this change of name might make sense in America, but not in the rest of the world, since android market only got apps, so yeah pure BS. Only good thing is the sale off
who cares about the rest of the world?
I do. They make our stuff.
I hope you are trolling, one of the biggest problem with android is a lot of the services doesn’t go worldwide. Because of that, most people who lives in the rest of the world you don’t care about choose apple, windows or some other brand when buying phones.
I live in the rest of the world, so I care a lot, but from the look of how things are now, my next phone will be a windows or apple one.
In a month probably few people will still be complaining about the name. Meanwhile, Google is building a much tighter and well integrated ecosystem, one that was lacking for a very long time, and all people do is complain about the name of it. I’m happy for the improvements and don’t really have a problem with the name, after all, it sounds much better than iTunes.
All I see so far is a new name and Icon for Google Play Music…
I already updated my phone and all the update offers is: V4.1.513 – New name, New Logo, Same Great App.
A new name but will it work now when I hide the devices I no longer own anymore? Let’s see if they play the game (did you see what I did there?).
What a stupid move. Market was way better. Play sounds like a child thing.
Most readers who commented ae thinking the same way as I do, Phandroid should make a survey to see how Google move is really perceived by the Android fans.
Google Market, is best for your brand
Google Market, is best for your brand. Google play, sounds rather silly for what your trying to accomplish with the cloud
Why push the cloud when most can’t have unlimited data!?
Sounds like a huge waste of money to me.
ok, lets break this down. On one hand we have ultra successful Google deciding to change the name of the market. One the other hand we have a handful of nerds who never had an original thought in their life hating on the new name. I’m guessing Google just may have done some research before making this move and they don’t really give a crap what you nexus lovers think!
More likely a bunch of nerds at Google created that name.
Yep you should see the nerds hating on the new music app in the comments section of the market. Meanwhile they dont get it that the decision was made by people that get to make decisions, not a group of losers sitting around their computer telling the world their opinion, not realizing no one really cares what they think. I call it the “internet effect”
Yeah this is typical Google thing. Sometimes they make really great things and sometimes it feels like they turn their brains off for the next decision. And here it comes. If they needed to change it why not change it to “Google Store”? Stupid name. They might as well call it “Google’s hairy monkey trading caravan” and it would probably make as much sense as Google Play.
They should have changed it to Google Market with the sub categories of Google App Market, Google Music Market, Google Book Market, and Google Movie Market.
I agree Scotsman. The Google Market sounds good (even though the Android Market sounded good too) and it associates items to the Google service as a whole and not just Android. I like your sub categories.
I just realized something, the abbreviation of the Google Play Store is ‘GPS’. Now that will get a few people confused if people start abbreviating it which most likely may happen.
Not a good move in my opinion…
Google just showed us how important the name Android is to them…
Google Market.
“Google Buy” “Google Goods ” “Google Digital” There you go Googlez, 3 freebies which you might prefer….or not.
And by the way – Market was never meant to play any-freaking-thing. It was a place to get stuff, and then play it with a player app.
google play store is way better
Android Market sounds better :(
Anyways that’s how it is, so I am changing my website’s links and references to android market.
How do you “Play” a book??
Yes, Google has rebranded its application store. It has also bring Google cloud and other services under one umbrella. http://mobilematinee.blogspot.in/2012/03/android-market-is-now-google-play_21.html
Yes, Google has rebranded its application store. It has also bring Google cloud and other services under one umbrella. http://mobilematinee.blogspot.in/2012/03/android-market-is-now-google-play_21.html