Skip to main content

Google gets into the holiday spirit with 12 days of deals on Google Play

google 12 days of play deals
Image used with permission by copyright holder
It’s the season to … watch movies and use the latest apps? At least that’s what Google is helping us do, thanks to its latest round of deals on the Google Play Store — appropriately titled the 12 Days of Play.

As the name suggests, you’ll get 12 days of deals from Google Play, starting on Friday December 22 and running until January 2. The deals actually seem to be pretty nice, and they’ll span across all areas of the Google Play Store. In other words, whether you’re into movies, new apps, games, music, or even books, you’ll be able to save some cash in the next couple weeks.

Recommended Videos

So what deals can you expect? Well, for starters you’ll get some pretty big discounts on movies. All the movies. You’ll be able to rent any movie for 99 cents, which is a pretty sweet discount from the usual couple of dollars. You can also rent any three episodes of your favorite TV show for the same price — 99 cents. New subscribers to HBO Now can also get 50 percent off of their first three months of subscription through Google Play — so you’ll be able to start Game of Thrones from episode 1 at a fraction of the usual cost.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Perhaps gaming is a little more your thing. If that’s the case, then you’ll be happy to know that Google is offering up to 80 percent off of some of the premium games on Google Play, including Minecraft Story Mode Season 2, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and more.

Want to listen to Christmas carols but don’t have a music subscription? Google Play Music is offering new subscribers a hefty four months for free. If you prefer to listen to the radio, you’ll also get a discount on TuneIn radio — which is being offered at 40 percent off for a year-ong subscription to TuneIn’s app.

Last but not least is books. Google is offering $5 of Google Play credit toward any book that costs more than $5. You’ll also find a range of discounts on some of the store’s top titles.

Discounts can be found all across the Google Play Store, so if you’re interested in checking out a full list of them, head to Google Play’s holiday hub.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
Here’s how your Android phone could help stop your motion sickness
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 with the screen on.

Motion sickness — also called kinetosis — is a common problem. In fact, as many as one in three people have felt sick while in a vehicle. For those who suffer from it, reading in the car is practically impossible.

Apple introduced a feature that helps those prone to motion sickness use their phones without the accompanying nausea. Now, Google is working on a similar feature for Android phones.

Read more
Your Google Maps app is about to look different. Here’s what’s changing
Screenshot of the new teal color in the Google Maps app.

If you own an Android device such as a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Google Pixel 9 Pro, there is a small design update coming to the Google Maps app that aims to enhance its visual appearance and user experience. The app will be adopting a new interface color scheme, which could make navigation and interaction feel fresher.

As first reported by 9to5Google, Google Maps is set to change its signature blue accent for buttons and other user interface elements to a dark shade of teal.

Read more
The YouTube mobile app is getting a small redesign. Here’s what’s changing
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 playing a YouTube video.

How do you feel about the YouTube app on iOS and Android? Most of us use the app and don't think twice about it, but YouTube announced a lot of changes in October. Some of these planned updates have begun to roll out, and they're worth paying attention to — especially because one of them is difficult to notice. The updated bottom bar is a subtle change, but it adds a bit of flair.

The updated bottom bar is part of a server-side update, which means you don't have to download a new version of YouTube to see it. However, you should ensure you're using the latest version of the YouTube app. For Android, that's 19.47, and it's 19.49 for iOS. The update hasn't reached all devices yet — I still don't see it on my own phone — but it should be applied by the end of the day.

Read more