Soon, Google Play Store may automatically launch newly installed apps

The 'App Auto Open' feature is still under development

Google is reportedly working on an ‘App Auto Open’ feature that will automatically open an app once it is installed. According to a report by Android Authority, a new version of the Google Play Store has code that references this feature, which will, by default, launch the downloaded application once the installation process is completed.

In Play Store version 41.4.19, there exists a string of code for the new App Auto Open feature that will notify the user when the feature is enabled through a prominent banner towards the top of the screen. The notification will ring or vibrate depending on the device settings, and users will have the option to silence it. Additionally, the line of code that enables the feature suggests that the notification will last up to five seconds.

True to its name, the upcoming App Auto Open feature would likely launch the newly installed app from the Google Play Store automatically instead of the current procedure that offers the option to either open or uninstall the app. While the feature will likely be optional and will allow users to disable it, it will be enabled by default when the feature launches.

Currently, the App Auto Open feature is not available publicly and is only available as a preview for select users. Android Authority said that they were able to make the preview page live, but the feature does not appear to be working. It should be noted that the feature is still under development, and Google could decide to discard it completely.