Google to launch Kid-friendly Android App section at Google IO on May 28th

According to an e-mail sent to Android developers, Google is urging companies to submit their applications into the family-friendly version of the Google Play Store by May 28th. Considering May 28th is also the first day of Google IO 2015 – Google’s annual and highly anticipated development conference – you can expect this major development will be celebrated on stage during the company’s key note speech.

The program has previously been announced as “Designed for Families” and although Google has made the program official, we’re not pretty confident to learn of the anticipated launch date.

At one point in time Google was completely hands-off when it came to approving and monitoring apps, but as the Android ecosystem has grown, it’s become a logistical and legal necessity. Creating an app and game environment that kids, parents, and family members of all ages can visit, together, with the confidence in the content will perhaps be Google’s biggest app curation success to date. However, should sneaky devs adult-related wares or inappropriate Easter eggs, we could also see those eggs end up right on Google’s face.

But let’s be honest: right now anything is better than nothing and Google’s efforts are certainly admirable. Alternatives out there exist such as Samsung’s “Kid Mode” and 3rd party app stores on devices like the Nabi Tab, but this is an undertaking of much greater proportions.

How many parents are out there? Have you been long-awaiting a “kid-friendly” mode that ensures your children can use your Android tablet with free reign without worrying what their prying eyes might find?

Google Play’s upcoming Family section makes finding kid-friendly content easier than ever

We’ve had more than a few clues that Google was fixin’ to announce a new kid-friendly section of the Google Play Store. They’ve definitely been focusing on family oriented apps with the recent launch of YouTube kids and their acquisition of Launchpad Toys, a studio responsible for popular apps for kids on iOS.

The biggest clue came last week when we discovered Google’s “Designed for Families” program, a special program for developers that allows them to submit their apps for additional review so that they’ll be labeled as family-friendly in the Play Store.

According to Google, more than 1/3 of Android users in the US are parents with a kids under the age of 12. It’s because of this, Google finally took the wraps off their latest project aimed at families, a new family home section coming soon to the Google Play Store.

The new page offers a handful of tools parents can use to help discover family-friendly content for their kids. First up is the “Family star,” Google’s little green star icon that highlights family-friendly apps, games, movies, and books in the Play Store. The family home section also allows parents to search for content based on their age group, showing only filtered family-friendly results.

Because generally kids like looking for content based on their favorite characters or shows, they can now browser for content based on characters like Dora the Explorer, or My Little Pony. Apps and games features in family home (which undergo a manual review process) all feature objective 3rd party content ratings (like ESRB ratings) and are labeled when they’re ad-supported.

Google says that with a new set of parental controls stronger password protection for in-app purchases, Android is more fantastic than ever for families looking to keep a watchful eye over their kids digital playtime.

Google Play’s Family section now has free apps of the week

One of the main reasons Amazon’s Appstore got a lot of attention in the early days is because they offered up a free paid app or game every day. It looks like Google is catching on to the trend.

The company has added a new feature to the family section that will offer up a free app of the week. The listing currently shows that it’s “By PBS Kids,” so we’re not sure if this is a PBS-specific promotion or if Google will let others in on the fun.

Said PBS app being offered up is Daniel Tiger Grr-ific Feelings, a collection of mini games themed around the children’s show. You can find it right here if you’re interested in grabbing it for your child.

The only other question we have is whether Google will ever look to do something like this for the entirety of Google Play. We certainly would love to see it, though there have been enough free apps and insane deals over the years that we wouldn’t blame them if they don’t.

[via Google Play]

Google’s new Family section goes live in the Play Store, search for apps/games by age or popular characters

It was announced onstage during Google I/O a few weeks back and today, Google’s new “Family” section is now officially live in the Google Play Store. The section is essentially a landing page for parents to go to when looking for kid-friendly apps in the Play Store. Not only does it highlight a variety of favorites, but allows users to search by their favorite characters or within their age group.

Apps in this section are carefully vetted by Google and developers must first apply to have their apps/games manually selected for inclusion. That means you shouldn’t have to worry about your kids running into any questionable content (although it’s always good to keep an eye on what they’re downloading).

It was sometime last week we also saw ESRB ratings accompany app listings on Google Play, something you’ll find on every title in the app store from here on out. Check out the new Family section by hitting up the link below.

[Google Play Family]