Google Play gets ‘Comics’ feature for manga readers in Japan | TechCrunch
Alongside a slew of announcements for Play — such as AI-powered app comparisons and a feature that bundles similar apps — Google has introduced new “Curated Spaces,” hubs dedicated to specific topics.
Announced Wednesday, “Comics” is designed to appeal to manga fans. Positioned at the top of the screen in between “For You” and “Top Charts,” the new hub provides users in Japan access to such content as manga and anime titles, live events, trailers, and more.
Google partnered with top providers, such as “Attack on Titan” publisher Kodansha. Users can preview samples directly in the app store, allowing them to read comics without having to download apps. Additionally, the Comics tab features manga- and anime-related livestreams at the top of the page, as well as trailers featuring upcoming titles, editor picks, and expert reviews.
According to Grand View Research, the global manga market size was estimated at $13.69 billion in 2023. The top manga apps in the Google Play Store in Japan include Piccoma, Line Manga, Mechacomi, and Jump+. Magapoke, owned by Kodansha, is also on the list, with around 20 million installs.
Comics is currently only available to users in Japan. At this time, Google isn’t planning to bring the space to other markets.
“We’re excited to announce our next curated space, ‘Comics’ rolling out in Japan. More than half of the population in Japan reads comics, and many are looking for easier ways to get more of it,” Google Play vice president Sam Bright told members of the press during a demo yesterday.
Bright noted, however, that more curated spaces are in the pipeline.
“Comics are just the start. In the future, we’ll be launching curated spaces to give more people and more countries new ways to dive deeper into the content they care about,” Bright said.
Earlier this year, the company piloted a curated space for Cricket fans in India, offering gamified voting, cricket-related YouTube videos, and other content from over 100 apps. The Cricket space is no longer live, but it’s likely we can expect curated spaces dedicated to other sports in the future.
