2026年3月4日

Google Play Store for Large-Screen Android to Feature Always-On Navigation Bar

Key Points of This Article

In the “Google System Release Notes,” which summarizes information on “Google System Updates,” Google has announced a new feature for the Android version of the “Google Play Store” app on large-screen Android devices such as the “Pixel Tablet” and “Pixel 10 Pro Fold (inner display).”
The new feature is the introduction of a persistent, always-visible navigation bar.
Starting with version 50.3 and later of the Android “Google Play Store” app, a persistent navigation bar that does not hide even on app detail or search result pages will be introduced as a new feature for large-screen Android devices.

In the “Google System Release Notes“—which summarizes information on “Google System Updates,” released on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, to improve the security and reliability of Android-related devices—Google announced a new feature rolling out to the Android version of the “Google Play Store” app for large-screen Android devices such as the “Pixel Tablet” and “Pixel 10 Pro Fold (inner display).”

The new feature for the Android “Google Play Store” app on large-screen devices is the introduction of a persistent, always-visible navigation bar. Currently, the navigation bar in the Android “Google Play Store” app includes tabs for “Games,” “Apps,” “Search,” “Books,” “My Page,” and “Kids” (for devices like the Pixel Tablet). While tapping these tabs switches between them while keeping the navigation bar visible, the navigation bar currently disappears when viewing pages such as app detail pages or search results.

This behavior is currently standard across all Android smartphones, tablets, and large-screen foldable devices.

However, starting with version 50.3 and later of the Android “Google Play Store” app, a new feature will be introduced for large-screen Android devices like the “Pixel Tablet” and “Pixel 10 Pro Fold (inner display)” that ensures the navigation bar remains visible and does not hide on app detail pages or search result pages. This will make navigating the Android “Google Play Store” app much smoother.

Although version 50.3 of the Android “Google Play Store” app has already been released, the persistent, always-visible navigation bar has not yet been confirmed as active. It is expected to be rolled out gradually to users running version 50.3 or later.