This is subtly different -- it sends the app to your phone when you're logged in on the desktop.

But isn't that worse? You are browsing an app that you logged into with Google+ and now all of a sudden it's installed on your phone?

It's not all of a sudden. You have to click "Install" for it to be downloaded on your phone. It's not automatic.

Ahh...ok. Now that makes sense. I was under the impression that it detects that you have an Android phone - based on your Google profile - and it automatically does that. Well that's cool.

You have to reach some Google-controlled threshold of app quality before you can use it, according to this: https://developers.google.com/+/features/play-installs

I dunno, Simple locks you out until you download and install the app so you can use the app once to create a signature for their agreements.

In such a flow, I'd rather that the intent be spawned from a click on my computer than from me having to go to Google Play online/on the phone and search for it, etc.

(Google can install anything on your phone at any time, in theory, because of the way Play works. So if you're worried about "all of a sudden it's installed on your phone" you probably don't want an Android device.)