App listings on Google Play Store now show minimum “Android OS” version

Google Play Store recently picked up a new feature that shows a circular install indicator on your home screen when you start downloading an app. Another small tweak that Google has recently rolled out now tells you the required or minimum Android OS version a device needs to meet to install an app.

Each Android app needs to define the “minimum Android version” and “target Android version.” The minimum version specifies the oldest Android version (e.g., Android 5.0) that an app supports, while the target version refers to the intended Android version the app was built for (e.g., Android 12). With the recent update, the Google Play Store now displays the required Android OS version for apps (via 9to5Google).

While this information has been available on the web version of Google Play Store for some time now, it’s only now that Google has started showing it in the Play Store app. To see it, open an app listing in the Play Store app, click on “About this app,” and then scroll to the bottom. “Android OS” should be listed under the “App info” section alongside app version, downloads, and app permissions.

To be honest, there’s no real use or benefit of “knowing” this information per se. This is because, by default, the Play Store only shows you apps that can run on your device. So if you’re rocking an Android 5.0 device and an app targets Android 6.0, Play Store won’t show that app to you.

Last month, Google Play Store added a new “Offer” tab in the bottom bar. Basically, the tab gives you a roundup of deals and discounts across apps, games, movies, and books in one place. Offers are displayed on prominent cards. The Play Store now also lets you find and install Android TV and Wear OS apps right from your smartphone.