Googlebook users report limited app support and usability issues

Users who have spent several days with the newly released Googlebook have highlighted significant shortcomings in the device’s app ecosystem. The platform relies on the Google Play Store for software, but many Android apps are not optimized for desktop use, and Google applies five generic quality labels—"Built for mobile," "Better on the website," "Compatible with Desktop," "Optimized for Desktop," and "Made for Desktop"—that developers cannot control. Critics say the labeling system is confusing and that the Play Store does not provide direct links to corresponding web versions.

Specific applications cited as problematic include Telegram, whose Android version lacks basic functionality such as sending messages with the Enter key, while the web version also experiences crashes; Slack, whose Android app performs poorly on the device and whose web app cannot be installed; and Spotify, which is marked as "Optimized for desktop" but still displays a phone-oriented interface that does not scale well. Reviewers note the absence of traditional desktop software such as the Adobe suite and question the practicality of the Googlebook compared with readily available Windows laptops and MacBook Air models.

"The Android app is broken on Googlebook in a lot of ways, and the web app isn’t that much better," one user wrote.

The commentary suggests that while the Android-based foundation may allow future improvements, the current experience presents usability challenges that could deter potential buyers.