Alongside a slew of bulletins for Play—equivalent to AI-powered app comparisons and a function that bundles related apps—Google has launched new “Curated Areas,” hubs devoted to particular matters.
Introduced Wednesday, “Comics,” is designed to attraction to manga followers. Positioned on the prime of the display screen in between “For You” and “High Charts,” the brand new hub gives customers in Japan entry to content material, together with manga and anime titles, reside occasions, trailers, and extra.
Google partnered with prime suppliers, equivalent to “Assault on Titan” writer Kodansha. Customers can preview samples immediately within the app retailer, permitting them to learn comics with out having to obtain apps. Moreover, the Comics tab options manga- and anime-related livestreams on the prime of the web page, in addition to trailers that includes upcoming titles, editor picks, and skilled evaluations.
In line with Grand View Analysis, the worldwide manga market measurement was estimated at $13.69 billion in 2023. The highest manga apps within the Google Play Retailer in Japan embrace Piccoma, Line Manga, Mechacomi, and Soar+. Magapoke, owned by Kodansha, can also be on the record, with round 20 million installs.
Comics is at the moment solely accessible to customers in Japan. Presently, Google isn’t planning to deliver the area to different markets.
“We’re excited to announce our subsequent curated area, ‘Comics’ rolling out in Japan. Greater than half of the inhabitants in Japan reads comics, and plenty of are searching for simpler methods to get extra of it,” Google Play Vice President Sam Shiny instructed members of the press throughout a demo yesterday.
Shiny famous, nevertheless, that extra curated areas are within the pipeline.
“Comics are simply the beginning. Sooner or later, we’ll be launching curated areas to provide extra individuals and extra international locations new methods to dive deeper into the content material they care about,” Shiny mentioned.
Earlier this 12 months, the corporate piloted a curated area for Cricket followers in India, providing gamified voting, cricket-related YouTube movies, and different content material from over 100 apps. The Cricket area is not reside, however it’s seemingly we will anticipate curated areas devoted to different sports activities sooner or later.
