During last week's Google I/O 2013 Conference, a variety of site tool upgrades were introduced, including fancy new virtual wrappers on Maps and Google Plus tools like Hangouts. Along with new looks, Google has also announced a new, focused direction for its app marketplace, the Google Play Store.
The Mountain View, California based search giant is taking Apple on in one of its dominant app markets - education.
The upcoming Play Store for Education roll-out is to include categorizing apps with classroom supportive content so that they can be found, downloaded or shared by teachers and students. In fact, according to Google a host of teachers will be in on the vetting process, sorting desirable apps by grade level and content area, as well as other criteria.
Although the Android Marketplace certainly could use an education-based infusion of categorization, schools also require a responsive distribution model, to maximize the taxpayer dollar. Apps need to be bought as classroom sets, with steep discounts to help keep education costs down. I've watched IT administrators try to figure out a model for large-scale app distribution before. Although solutions exist, I know this is a painful place to go for many.
Google believes they've got this issue solved, too.
In the upcoming Education interface, Google app-using teachers can purchase in bulk and roll out classroom sets of apps via the cloud to specific devices within personalized and managed groups. Rather than using the cumbersome process of purchasing via a personal credit card (and waiting for a refund from the school district), teachers can now have funds distributed into their teacher app account by a school administrator, and draw from them them as needed.
Chromebooks and Android tablets are already wedging their powerful feet into tech-hungry classroom doorways. According to a recent study cited by TechCrunch, Chromebooks have found a home in over 2,000 U.S. schools.
Combine app management with the tool-rich environment of Google Apps for Education, and Apple may soon have some catching up to do, as far as classrooms go.
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