Time spent as Android Market is now something of a distant memory.
Exactly one year ago, Google rebranded Android Market as Google Play, citing a vision to make its mobile media content more attractive and accessible – across phones, tablets, PC – to Android device users.
At the time of the launch, Google boasted 20,000 songs, 450,000 apps/games, and 'the world's largest selection of ebooks'. With the search giant now celebrating the first birthday of its new baby, it claims Google Play has over 18 million songs, more than five million ebooks and over 700,000 apps.
It seems the rebrand has paid off massively, while the marketplace will have also flourished as OEMs continue to adopt the Android OS for their devices. In fact, Android is set to power 58 per cent of this year's smartphone app downloads, prompting developers to become Android-first.
Jamie Rosenberg, VP of digital content, Google Play, said: "Google Play has grown rapidly in the last year, bringing you more content in more languages and places around the globe. We’ve partnered with all of the major music companies, movie studios and publishers to bring you the music, movies, TV shows, books and magazines you love. And we’ve added more ways for you to buy them, including paying through your phone bill and gift cards, which we're beginning to roll out in the U.K. this week.
"Since no birthday is complete without presents, we’re celebrating with a bunch of special offers across the store on songs, TV shows, movies and books. We’re even offering a collection of games with some fun birthday surprises created by developers."

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