Google has been toying with the possibility of letting users try Play Store apps without installing them for quite some time. However, the number of compatible apps were few and scattered and offered no real solution. However,AppOnboard and Google are collaborating to bring playable demos directly into the Google Play store with a “try now” button. The button is displayed right next to the purchase or download button, bringing us one step closer to instantly game demos on the Play Store. Here's a short video showing how it might look like:

AppOnBoard had in place a platform for playable demos and games that let people experience an app before choosing to download it from an app store. Google took notice and began working with AppOnBoard to use the platform to power a new feature called Google Play Instant Apps, which has been functional for some time. The initiative should help improve the discovery of apps and reduce the friction associated with trying out a game.

The partnership is a shot in the arm for AppOnBoard, whose platform was previously only available to partners on the AppOnboard advertising network. The demos can be as much as ten megabytes, or a large enough slice of a game to give players a real sense for what it’s like which increases the chances of a potential user actually playing a game after downloading it.

Developers can use AppOnboard as a 30-day free trial for any App Store Demo, after which, the service is subscription-based. We can expect industry bigwigs such as Tencent and Gameloft to hop on board. The company also leverages its patent-pending heat map technology to provide aggregated touch feedback on how users are engaging with the App Store Demos, leading to insights and optimizations for developers.

News Source: Phonearena