Android Market refresh starts rolling out, adds books and movies

Thanks in part to the introduction of a movie rental service, Google had talked a bit about an updated Android Market user experience back at I/O in May. Well, that update is now starting to roll out, and it’s been thoroughly revised from the classic green blob -- for starters, the new Market features sharp gray squares separated by thick, dark lines, matching Gingerbread’s blacked-out look. Product detail pages have been totally redesigned, promising a two-tap purchase process, and new left and right swipes allow users to navigate between app lists: Top Paid, Top Free, and so on.

The UI redesign isn’t the biggest news, though: that honor would go to the addition of book purchases and movie rentals -- in the US, anyway (more countries are expected “soon”). Perfect for that 4.3- or 4.5-inch display on your new phone, right? A “phased roll-out” is already underway for devices on Android 2.2 and above, reaching everyone in the next few weeks -- and in the meantime, follow the break for Google’s introductory video.