Continuing the trend of new and redesigned apps for Wear OS 3 in the past year, Google has released Contacts to the Play Store with a revamped look.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Contacts gets Wear OS 3 redesign, now distributed on Play Store
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.
Google Fi expands coverage with ‘W+ network’ of high-speed Wi-Fi that counts against data cap
Back in September of 2020, Google’s internal Area 120 incubator introduced Orion Wifi to let public venues sell Wi-Fi capacity to cellular carriers. Google Fi is now using this approach to expand coverage and calling it the “W+ network.”
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Sound Amplifier updated with new UI as Lookout adds Images mode
In addition to Gboard updates today, Google is updating two of its accessibility apps. Android’s Sound Amplifier gets a redesign and accuracy improvements, while Lookout now offers a new mode for analyzing images.
Expand Expanding Close
Gboard custom text stickers drop Pixel exclusivity as Emoji Kitchen gets Pride, summer updates
As part of Android’s quarterly drop of new features, Gboard is getting a pair of updates that expands the availability of custom text stickers, while the latest Emoji Kitchen additions are here.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Automotive OS 12L brings Quick Controls, notification and Bluetooth upgrades, more
Besides tablets, Android 12L also brings a slew of features to Android Automotive OS as Google quietly detailed last month during I/O 2022, which mostly focused on the upcoming Android Auto redesign.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy Watch 4 beta changelog: New notification & keyboard features on top of Wear OS 3.5
Following yesterday’s availability of the Galaxy Watch 4 beta app, Samsung has released the OTA and changelog for One Ul Watch 4.5 to testers.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Assistant is losing the ability to set location-based reminders
Beyond a dark theme in September, Assistant reminders are rarely updated and Google is now getting rid of the ability to “set reminders at locations.”
Expand Expanding Close
Google Drive making it easier to find file locations on the web
Following its big keyboard shortcuts update, which looks to be widely rolling out this week, Google Drive on the web is better surfacing file locations.
Expand Expanding Close
Nest down and offline for some, no outage reported on status site
Since last night, some Nest users have had their cameras and other smart home devices go down and have remained offline since. However, this outage appears to be somewhat limited in nature to the (US) West Coast.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle preps Assistant settings redesign that’s shorter and better organized [Gallery]
Nearly two years after the last settings redesign, Google is taking another stab at making it easier to control and manage the ever-growing list of what Assistant can do.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube for Android and iOS can now connect to your TV for easy commenting and sharing
As teased by Sundar Pichai in April, the YouTube app on your phone will soon serve as a connected, second-screen experience for videos playing on your TV.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Duo is becoming Meet to cover every single way you video call
In August of 2020, 9to5Google reported that Google was planning to replace Duo with Meet. This development was finally made official today – and will see the app that the vast majority of Android users have installed on their devices get renamed to Google Meet later this year.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Calculator 8.2 adds two-column UI for tablets and Quick Settings tile [U]
Following Lens last week, Google Calculator is the next first-party application to be updated for tablets and other large screen Android devices.
Expand Expanding Close[Update: Claim now] Google adds 7 Stadia Pro games for June 2022, including Deliver Us The Moon
Announced later than usual, June 2022 will bring seven games to Stadia Pro with all titles announced in one go following last month’s rather protracted reveal. That matches the previous high for 2022 in February.
Expand Expanding CloseSource: Pixel Watch battery life expected to last a day
We previously reported on key Pixel Watch specs like the chip and health sensors, and can now provide some details about the battery life of Google’s first wearable.
Expand Expanding Close
Report: Next-gen Tensor on Pixel 7 said to be 4nm, made by Samsung again
At I/O 2022, Google said the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will feature a “next-gen” Tensor processor, and a new report today says it will again be manufactured by Samsung.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Authenticator 5.20 update hides your 2FA codes until you tap to reveal
The last update to Google’s two-factor authenticator (2FA) app for Android in May 2020 introduced a Material Theme redesign and the ability to easily transfer accounts between devices. Google Authenticator 5.20 is now rolling out and hides codes until you tap to reveal them.
Expand Expanding CloseComment: YouTube Music needs a more consistent UI, and carousel pinning is the answer
More than other streaming services, YouTube Music is defined by its algorithmic suggestions on what to listen to next. This feature is great in the Up Next queue but downright annoying in the Home feed. YouTube Music constantly juggles the order, if not the outright appearance, of carousels from one refresh to the next.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music for Android cleans up settings, starting on tablets
At the start of this year, YouTube Music updated its Home feed for tablets and promised that more UI optimizations are coming, especially for playlists. One smaller change sees YouTube Music offer an improved settings layout on Android.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle marks Memorial Day with solemn Doodle [Update: 2022]
Google traditionally marks Memorial Day in the US with a flag on its homepage and gray version of the company logo.
Expand Expanding CloseLikely Google Pixel tablet gets USI certification and stylus support
At I/O 2022, Google previewed that it was working on a Pixel tablet for next year, and such a device has now emerged in a list of Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) products.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Play betas for YouTube Music, TV, Google News, Clock, and Play Books disabled [U]
Like the main Android client, Google is now offering Play Store betas for YouTube Music and TV to presumably test new features ahead of time.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle drops ‘Go’ branding from lightweight Gallery Go app
Later this year, YouTube Go will shut down after being deemed no longer necessary. In a possible sign of things to come, Google’s “Gallery Go” app this week lost its “Go” branding.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Assistant working on ‘Personalized speech recognition’
In March of 2021, Google started using federated learning on Android to improve “Hey Google” hotword accuracy. An upcoming “Personalized speech recognition” feature now looks to help Google Assistant get “better at recognizing your frequent words and names.”
Expand Expanding Close