The GPay app, which was once the future of Google’s payments strategy, is still available for users in three countries and is getting some Material You tweaks.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Pay (GPay) rolling out Material You redesign [U]
Author
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.
9to5Google Log Out: All Bard, all the time
If it’s not obvious yet, Bard, LaMDA, and large language models (LLMs) will be dominating the Google (and tech) landscape for the foreseeable future – at least the next year. There’s Bard expanding beyond Google’s trusted tester program and AI “insight” features in Google Search, but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
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Google adds ‘Partial Custom Tabs’ support and ‘Running in Chrome’ label
Google is making official the ability for Custom Tabs to open in a partial, developer-defined view, and there’s also now “Running in Chrome” branding.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Fiber rolling out $125/month 5 Gig service in 4 cities
After announcing in October, Google Fiber is rolling out a 5 Gig service for $125 per month in four cities today.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle rolling out Privacy Sandbox Beta with new settings to Android 13
Last February, Google announced Privacy Sandbox on Android as a way to provide safer advertising techniques that preserve user privacy and keep the industry “healthy.” Privacy Sandbox is now launching in beta on Android 13 devices.
Expand Expanding CloseGboard toolbar redesign greatly boosts customizability, starts rolling out
Google has been working on a redesign of the Gboard toolbar on Android since August, and it’s now starting to roll out for some beta users.
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Google Fi impacted by T-Mobile outage
As of Monday evening (PT), the T-Mobile network in the US is suffering an outage that’s impacting MVNO customers, including those on Google Fi.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Play Store emphasizes notifications in search bar tweak
The Google Play Store has rolled out a curious tweak to the top of the app that heavily emphasizes notifications.
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YouTube Creator Music now available for all in US YPP
In addition to Shorts revenue sharing (which launched this month), YouTube in September announced the “Creator Music” catalog, and it’s now available for all YouTube Partner Program (YPP) creators in the US.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle reiterates that Assistant light mode is gone on Android
Google announced in October that the Assistant light mode is gone on Android phones and tablets, and reiterated today that “Assistant Uses Dark Mode By Default.”
Expand Expanding CloseReport: Google custom silicon work continues with ARM server chips
Following “Argos” VCU chips that help YouTube process videos more efficiently and Tensor, Google is working on custom server chips.
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$299 Pixel Watch and $149 Pixel Buds Pro deals end today [U]
The US Google Store has brought back a spate of deals on the Pixel 6a, 7, and 7 Pro, as well as both the cellular Pixel Watch.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps updated with Pixel Watch and Wear OS 3 AOD support
In Wear OS 3, many apps currently lack always-on display/ambient mode support and putting down your wrist while something is active will just blur your screen and show the time. Google Maps has now been updated with AOD support on the Pixel Watch and other Wear OS 3 devices, as well as a main UI tweak.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle continues work on replacing Assistant Reminders with Tasks
Back in September, Google confirmed our Insight that Google Tasks would replace Assistant Reminders in the “coming months.” We’re still waiting for this to launch five months later, but work is ongoing.
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Google opens up Fixed on Pixel submissions ahead of Super Bowl
Made by Google already posted the Fixed on Pixel Super Bowl ad, and it’s now continuing that campaign ahead of Sunday by letting anybody submit a “photo that could use some editing magic.”
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Drive adding PDF annotation with stylus or finger on Android
Google’s push to optimize its first-party apps on tablets continues with Drive for Android adding the ability to annotate PDFs using a stylus or finger.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Photos preps cloud backup for Locked Folder
Google Photos first rolled out the Locked Folder to Pixel phones before bringing it to other Android devices at the end of 2021, and is now working on adding cloud backup.
Expand Expanding CloseShould Bard and other AI features get branded as Google Assistant?
In the coming months and years, Google will add AI-powered capabilities to its core apps that meaningfully change the experience. This initial wave of additions will share some similarities, and it will be interesting to see how the company brands them. Google will have a number of options, but Assistant seems fairly obvious for these AI features.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid 13 QPR2 Beta 3.1 rolling out with February security patch
After rolling out Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 without the February security patch, Beta 3.1 is now here to bring Pixel phones to the latest security level.
Expand Expanding CloseUnreleased Nest Hub redesign surprisingly pops up at Google Store
Last March, Google appeared to accidentally roll out a rather significant redesign of the Nest Hub UI. It was quickly pulled, but the visual revamp has since made a surprising, offline reappearance.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s everything new in Android 14 Developer Preview 1 [Gallery]
Android 14 Developer Preview 1 is rolling out today to start this year’s preview cycle ahead of an expected Q3 launch.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Cloud launches Immersive Stream for XR, adds landscape support
Last May, Google Cloud announced Immersive Stream for XR to use cloud-based GPUs (like Stadia) for interactive 3D and augmented reality experiences, like product demos, and it’s now generally available.
Expand Expanding CloseHere are more examples of Google Bard and AI answers in Search
In addition to previewing new AI features for Lens, Maps, and Translate, Google on Wednesday also gave one more example of Bard in action.
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[Fixed] YouTube homepage down for some in partial outage
On Wednesday afternoon (PT), some YouTube users are reporting issues with the video site. The primary issue is an empty homepage.
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