THE CRUNCH

Google has made it possible to launch apps you build with its AI Studio vibe-coding tool directly from the Google Play Store in the US. Until now, installing a custom app meant connecting your phone to a computer. Google introduced the ability to vibe-code personal Android apps in May, and this change removes the most awkward step in trying them out.

The company says these personal apps stay "secure, private, and separate from the public store catalog", and you can launch them with a standard Google account. Sharing with a select group of people is on the way, too.

Google is also framing the feature as a stepping stone for would-be developers. Sam Bright, Google's vice president and general manager of Google Play, writes that anyone who wants to share an app with the world can graduate to a professional developer account, subject to the same Trust & Safety reviews and quality standards as professional developers.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Google says it will soon add the ability to share a personal app with a select group of people.