Googlebook apps come with five different Play Store labels

Googlebooks are finally here, and while the new hardware is getting plenty of attention, there’s another part of Google’s desktop push that could end up being just as important: figuring out which Android apps are actually worth using on a laptop.

After all, having access to millions of Play Store apps sounds great. But anyone who has tried running a phone-first Android app on a large display knows how inelegant things can get.

Google has a sensible way of warning Googlebook owners about exactly that. Reddit user Guyssocialweb recently spotted different labels appearing alongside apps in the Play Store, including “Optimized for desktop” and “Made for desktop,” and wondered what exactly separated them. Android expert Mishaal Rahman jumped into the discussion with an explanation of the five classifications Google uses.

At the top of the pile is Made for desktop. These apps are built with desktop use in mind, with features and controls designed specifically for a larger screen, keyboard, and mouse. In other words, this is the badge you’ll probably want to see beside the apps you plan on using heavily on your Googlebook.

One step below that is Optimized for desktop. These apps may not have been designed from scratch as traditional desktop software, but they have been adapted to make using them on a laptop feel much more natural.

Compatible with desktop is a little more basic. Apps carrying this badge work with standard mouse and keyboard controls, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every part of the interface has been redesigned around them.

The final two labels are arguably just as useful because they tell you when you’re better off avoiding the Android app entirely. Better on the website means Google thinks you’ll get the fuller or better-performing experience by opening the service in your browser instead.

Finally, Built for mobile is essentially Google’s warning that you’re entering phone-app territory. These apps may still run, but they could retain phone-oriented layouts and haven’t been tested for the desktop experience.

These labels make it much easier to tell which Android apps are actually suited for a Googlebook. An app may technically run on a larger screen, but that doesn’t always mean it will offer a good desktop experience.

More importantly, you no longer have to find that out after downloading an app. If you’re choosing between two note-taking apps, photo editors, or productivity tools, for example, seeing that one is “Made for desktop” while another is merely “Built for mobile” immediately tells you which one is more likely to feel at home on your Googlebook.

The classifications don’t guarantee every app will behave perfectly, of course. But for a brand-new platform that leans heavily on the Play Store as one of its biggest selling points, giving users a quick way to separate proper desktop experiences from phone apps is a great place to start.