Google announced an update to its Android Market for customers accessing via the handset app, which it said is “designed to better showcase top apps and games, engage users with an improved UI, and provide a quicker path to downloading or purchasing products.”  In a blog post, Eric Chu from the Android Developer Ecosystem said that “for developers, the new Android Market client means more opportunities for your products to be merchandised and purchased.”

The app, which will be made available to customers running Android 2.2 or later, features a redesigned home screen, with a new promotional page to highlight top content. This is “tiled with colourful graphics that provide instant access to featured apps and games.” The Android Market app lists have now been added to the Apps and Games home pages, enabling customers to “quickly flip through these lists by swiping right or left, checking out what other people are downloading in the Top Paid, Top Free, Top Grossing, Top New Paid, Top New Free, and Trending lists.” These directories have also been made country-specific for many of the key markets.

The way in which apps are presented to customers has also been changed. The app name and price has been moved into a “compact action bar” at the top of the page, so users can quickly download or purchase an app. Directly below, potential buyers can flip through screen shots by swiping left or right, or scroll down to read the description, what’s new, reviews, “and more.” The page can also include a thumbnail link to a product video, which is displayed at full screen when a device is in landscape orientation.

Google also highlighted a “streamlined” click-to-purchase flow, so users can complete a transaction in two clicks from the app details page. During the purchase, customers can also see a list of a developer’s other apps, to enable product cross-selling.