As teased at I/O 2023 last month, Google Weather is getting a Material You redesign, and it’s appearing first on the Pixel Tablet.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Weather Material You redesign debuts on Pixel Tablet [Gallery]
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Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
Pixel 8 and 8 Pro colors, mineral-inspired wallpapers leak [Gallery]
Google looks to be continuing the 7a’s four color lineup for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro with a leak today revealing their internal names and corresponding wallpapers.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Tablet review: Uniquely Google, made possible by Android
I’d like to believe that Google’s modern hardware division could have released a tablet primarily for content consumption – like the Nexus 7 – at any time since its inception in 2016 but just chose not to. Made by Google’s high-level MO is to add unique aspects to its products. On the Pixel Slate, that was deemed to be productivity, and it did not work. In trying again with the Pixel Tablet, Google clearly still believes it needs something unique, and that’s how we have a Nest Hub Smart Display UI sitting – literally – on top of Android.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Wallet redesign makes the app more compact
The current Google Wallet app is very simple with a lot of empty space that a compact-focused upcoming redesign looks to address.
Expand Expanding CloseComment: The Google Messages compose UI is too crowded
The interface for typing and sending messages in a chat app has been on my mind lately given Google’s addition of Magic Compose (too crowded) and the redesign Apple is doing in iOS 17 (too simple).
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Pixel Camera Services 1.1 adds Night Sight auto/manual focus and zoom support
Pixel Camera Services lets third-party apps take advantage of Night Sight, and the 1.1 update adds autofocus, manual focus, and zoom capabilities.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle sends confusing email about deleting old ‘Album Archive’ photos tied to Hangouts
Google sent out an “update to Album Archive” email today informing users that an old photo gallery UI related to Hangouts is going away next month.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle’s best AR features are for glasses, what will its headset do?
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Expand Expanding CloseGoogle says Project Tailwind is getting a new name, early access soon
At I/O 2023 last month, Google previewed “Project Tailwind” as an “AI-first notebook” and early access is now coming “soon” with a new name, too.
Expand Expanding CloseBig YouTube Music web redesign takes after desktop YouTube
YouTube Music is getting a big redesign on the web that adopts a navigation drawer with very quick access to playlists.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Domains shutting down, assets sold and being migrated to Squarespace
In an unexpected announcement today, Google Domains is “winding down following a transition period,” with Squarespace taking over the business and assets.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Fold ship dates are getting delayed and slipping into July
When the Pixel Fold was announced at I/O 2023, Google said it would be available in June and those that pre-ordered got a precise date. The Google Store now looks to be delaying when the Pixel Fold will ship.
Expand Expanding Close[Fixed] Google Pixel and Samsung owners report missing contacts on Android
More than a few Google Pixel and Samsung owners today are reporting that their contacts are missing and have disappeared from their Android phone.
Expand Expanding CloseAlphabet Scoop 141: June 2023 Pixel Feature Drop review
This week on Alphabet Scoop, we talk all about the June 2023 Feature Drop for Pixel phones and the Pixel Watch. It’s a substantial update with meaningful additions after a more quiet release earlier this year.
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Google details Nest Cam and Doorbell HDR update behind video quality changes
Last week, Nest Cam owners started noticing washed out colors and what seemed to be degraded video quality. Google today is detailing a new update for battery-powered Nest Cams and the Nest Doorbell that improves HDR and makes “other image quality enhancements.”
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid 14 Beta 3.1 rolling out with Pixel fingerprint fixes
Following last week’s bigger release, Android 14 Beta 3.1 is rolling out today as a bug fixer, especially for the broken fingerprint sensor that some users encountered.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s how to directly report spam sites to Google
Many nefarious parties try to manipulate Search to drive more traffic to spam, low-quality, and deceptive websites, and Google is now offering a better way to directly report them.
Expand Expanding Close3rd-party Google Assistant voice apps and games are now gone from Nest Hub
A year ago yesterday, Google announced that it was ending support for third-party Assistant voice apps, including games, and this is now underway on the Nest Hub.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Lens can now identify rashes and other skin conditions
Along with Maps Live View, Lens is Google’s most promising AR service, and it now has the ability to recognize skin conditions. Today, the company is also announcing other new generative AI features across Search and Shopping.
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Google Play Store adds Chromebook and Tablet filters, snappy new animation
Google is rolling out a pair of tweaks to the Play Store led by improvements to the multi-device Chromebook and tablet experience.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle brings At a Glance to the Pixel Watch
As we’ve been tracking since last month, Google now offers an At a Glance complication on the Pixel Watch.
Expand Expanding Close‘Help me write’ comes to Gmail for Android and iOS
Immediately after I/O 2023 last month, Google started more widely rolling out Workspace Labs, and “Help me write” is now seeing wide availability in Gmail for Android and iOS for enrolled testers.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Google News Material You widget(s) are here
As announced at the start of this month, Google News is getting updated Material You widgets that are now rolling out.
Expand Expanding CloseFitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 updates rolling out, new Charge 5 clocks too
Besides a big health and exercise update for the Pixel Watch, Fitbit today announced updates for its existing smartwatches (Sense 2 + Versa 4) and trackers, like new clocks for Charge 5, Luxe, and Inspire 3.
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