Google outs new apps, boasts Play passing the 1 million mark

Google may have outed a new Nexus 7 and Android 4.3 today, but the company also lent plenty of attention to apps and the Play Store.

Among the announcements was a new app called Google Play Games, a sort of hub for all your Google gaming needs. There are leader boards and social boards, achievements and all-around access to Google Play.

Google Play Games app is available today, and it's shipping with the Nexus 7 2 tablet.

Google also talked up a new Netflix app, released earlier this week. The app can play 1080p thanks to a new DRM. As you can guess, the new Nexus 7 is primed to take full advantage of the feedback.

The company also plans to launch a textbook purchase and rental service, allowing students to pick up books for tablets through the Play Store. The new channel will kick off next month, and titles from the five major publishing firms will be up access on the web and Android and iOS devices.

Tablet 101

In keeping with the tablet theme, Google also announced it will give users the option to only see apps meant for tablets.

Tablet apps will be given top billing in new "Tablet 101" and "Tablet Spotlight" sections.

Stat attack

Google, like its tech compatriots, couldn't resist dropping a few figures in the lead up to its product announcements.

In general, Android apps aren't doing too shabby as Google revealed the Store boasts one million apps, a figure that's doubled in a year.

Also in the last year, 20 billion apps have been downloaded from the Play Store, taking total app downloads to 50 billion.

Google also dropped knowledge that to date, more than 70 million Android tablets have been activated. In the last six months, Mountain View claimed that one in two tablets sold were of the Android persuasion.