Google+ Android app adds easy account switching, photos & videos from Drive, & improved location sharing

A new update for the Google+ Android app rolling out in the coming days will make it easier for users to switch between multiple accounts, improve location sharing controls, and finally get rid of the in-app Messenger to make way for Google’s new Hangouts app.

Google employee Virgil Dobjanschi shared details on the new version of the app, noting that switching accounts will now be as easy as it is with Gmail:

Just like Gmail for Android, you can now switch between multiple Google+ accounts with a couple of taps (vs. signing out and signing in again). And the Google+ pages you manage are likewise in the app menu at all times.

The updated app also brings the ability to view and share photos and videos that are stored in Google Drive, and improved location sharing controls:

Starting today you can share your pinpoint or city-level location with others (if you want), and you can do so on a circle-by-circle basis. For example: you can share your pinpoint location with family, and your city-level location with co-workers. You can also use circles to filter who appears on your “Locations” map.

This version of Google+ for Android (followed soon by an update to the iOS app) will also remove the Messenger feature, as Google notes it is moving all messaging features to just the new unified Hangouts app across all platforms. You’ll be able to save your conversations after Messenger is removed using Google Takeout.

Another coming is full support for Google Apps for Business customers, allowing users to “share content publicly, with your circles, and/or with just the people in your organization” and “know at a glance whether someone’s profile is part of your Apps domain.”