Skip to main content

Google launches Playbook, a guide and news app just for Android developers

google playbook developers app android
Google has officially launched Playbook for Developers, an all-around guide and news app for Android developers to stay up to date on the largest mobile operating system in the world.

Playbook for Developers is, as the name suggests, entirely for developers interested in improving their app or service on Android and Google Play. You’ll find various articles and YouTube videos from Android developer, design, and advertising blogs, and Google has a reading progress bar that fills up the more you read. Based on a first look, it seems as though most, if not all content comes from Google.

Recommended Videos

When you first install the app, you’ll be able to personalize your content based on categories that apply to your business. These interests range from Design, Development, and Analytics to Games, Monetization, and more. You can even set the language for the app, and the country you’re in. Swipe left on stories to mark them as read, or share, save, or dismiss them. Unfortunately, you can’t play videos in the app as it opens the native YouTube app. But articles open in Chrome Custom Tabs for quicker loading.

An Explore tab lets you dive into specific subjects of building and growing your business — start at Develop, move to Launch, and a few steps later, read up on how to Earn. Most of these articles are written directly in the app, so you don’t need a data connection to view them. You can save articles to read later, and you can even opt for notifications from the app to keep you in the loop about new content.

The Android app has been in beta for the past six weeks but the final version is officially up for anyone to download on the Google Play Store. You’ll need to be on a device on Android 5.0 and above.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
This tough camera comparison is bad news for the Pixel 7a
Google Pixel 7a vs 6a on top of one another

The Google I/O 2023 keynote has come and gone, and during that two-hour presentation, we got a slew of new Pixel products coming our way — including the new Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. Google also dropped the new Pixel 7a, which is the most affordable option of the Pixel 7 lineup.

But there was also one more thing — Google decided to keep the Pixel 6a around instead of discontinuing it. So if you want a true budget-friendly Pixel phone, then the Pixel 6a remains a terrific value.

Read more
Don’t buy the Pixel Tablet; get this cheaper Android tablet instead
OnePlus Pad with official Stylo pencil stylus on a wooden table.

The market for Android tablets appears to be sinking, but the likes of the Pixel Tablet may have some role in salvaging it. The Pixel Tablet, launched last week -- exactly a year after it was first unveiled -- marks Google's reentry into the tablet segment after almost a decade.

While this development may help bring more manufacturers onto the scene, Google itself feels shy about making big claims about performance and productivity. Instead, the Pixel Tablet is projected as a mere hybrid upgrade to the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.

Read more
When is my phone getting Android 14? Here’s everything we know
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra next to the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

Google has released the second public beta for Android 14, its upcoming smartphone software for Google Pixel devices. We've officially left the developer preview stage and are a major step closer to Android 14's final release later this year.

With Android 14, there are some priority changes in app behaviors and compatibility instead of just new features and other enhancements. There are also going to be improvements made to settings for privacy, security, and even system health. In short, Android 14 may not be packed with a ton of brand new features, but it will refine and streamline what is already there.

Read more