Redesigned Google+ rolling out w/ focus on Communities & Collections, rebuilt mobile apps

Google is rolling out a redesigned Google+ today hat it says focuses on two features, Communicates and Collections, that people said kept them coming back to the service.

Whether it’s the Nonfiction Addiction Community, where people can be found discussing the best in Crime or Travel storytelling, or the Watch Project Collection, where more than 40,000 people are following an antique watch hobbyist, these are the places on Google+ where people around the world are spending their time discovering and sharing things they love.

So in the redesign of Google+, rolling out starting today, you’ll see that Communities and Collections are at the forefront of the user interface, while Google says the overall experience is now simpler and “focused around interests.” The Communities feature allows users with like interests to get together in groups to share content, while Collections allow users to browse content based on their specific interests. 

Since Google is stripping a lot away with this redesign, for now you might notice some missing features, but you’ll be able to switch back to the classic view for the time being.

In addition, the service gets a revamp on Android and iOS with rebuilt apps that Google notes make for “a fast and consistent experience” across platforms.

You’ll see a message prompting you to opt-in to the new version of Google+ starting today and the rebuilt mobile apps in the coming days.