At the start of this month, we spotted Google working on a Maps dark mode for Android. The Google Maps dark theme is now beginning to roll out for some users and it encompasses the entire app.
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After rolling out to desktops in June, Google Meet can now filter out disruptive sounds, thanks to noise cancellation on Android and iOS. The video conferencing service is also adding attendance reports for schools and educators.
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As rumored last week, Google today announced that it will require all Android apps downloaded from the Play Store to use its billing system for in-app purchases (IAPs). The company also noted how its own first-party apps will adapt to this.
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Recent versions of the Home companion client have added a slew of new features. A server-side update now appears to remove the interface for triggering Assistant Routines from the Google Home app.
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Over the past several months, Google has introduced more and more functionality for the Snapshot feed. You can now open Assistant Snapshot directly from the Android homescreen, thanks to a new shortcut that is rolling out.
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To the left of most Android homescreens is a personalized feed of articles, YouTube videos, and — increasingly — AMP Stories. Google Discover is now offering episode recommendations from Google Podcasts for some users.
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Since the start of this year, Google has added a number of useful resources about how to get around amid a pandemic. A new Google Maps layer now works to show COVID-19 case trends “in an area so you can make more informed decisions.”
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In addition to announcing new games coming this week, Google today detailed how Stadia accounts can soon be linked to Community Forum logins as part of a broader revamp.
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Besides loading articles quickly, AMP is being leveraged to create a visual medium for sharing content online. Google is now bringing Web Stories to any WordPress site with the wide launch of a new creation tool.
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YouTube today announced a series of changes to how age-restricted videos work on its platform. The Google company will be leveraging machine learning in this review process, while YouTube videos meant for those over 18 will not play on third-party sites.
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As promised on Friday, iOS 14 users can now set Gmail as the default mail app on iPhones and iPads. This follows a handful of updates from Google to support the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.
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Google Takeout has long let users export and download local copies of their data. With the Data Transfer Project, Google made it so that you could directly move an image library to a third-party service. Google Takeout now lets you select specific Photos albums to transfer.
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Carousels help break the monotony of Google’s 10 blue links. The company is now making visual tweaks to Google Search carousels that help modernize and increase the format’s prominence.
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Two distinct versions of Google Pay exist today. The first is aimed at countries where NFC-based payments are widely adopted, while the other is for the Next Billion Users. That latter version of Google Pay, known as Tez, is getting a Flutter rewrite that will serve as the basis for global expansion.
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Compared to the mobile clients, YouTube Music on the web is slow to get new features. The most notable exception, of course, is the unique ability to upload songs. After first debuting on Android and iOS in February, the YouTube Music web app is picking up lyrics.
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Apple launched its latest mobile OS on Wednesday and app developers are in the process of supporting the latest features. Google has two iOS 14 updates ready with a Search widget and Chrome browser default, while it’s readying a third.
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Somewhat overshadowed by the launch of Android 11, Google at the start of this month brought its Phone app to non-Pixel devices and added a new “Verified Calls” capability. To coincide with this launch, the app is now called “Phone by Google” on the Play Store.
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Shared — previously team — drives are how organizations using Google Drive distribute and collaborate on files. Google is now testing the ability to share folders within a shared drive.
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Google Voice is a relatively mature app that does not see too many interface updates these days. One change in Google Voice for Android today does make it easier to access ongoing calls.
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As previewed last month, Google is starting to launch a handful of pre-announced features for Meet. Background blur and being able to see up to 49 people simultaneously is coming to Google Meet in the coming weeks.
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The latest update to Home companion app introduced a slew of new features like a dark theme, unified camera page, and more Android 11 integration. Google Home 2.28 continues to improve the Wi-Fi experience by adding support for OnHub routers, while making it easier to video call.
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Online file storage solutions started out as being modeled after their local, non-cloud counterparts. Next month, Google Drive will automatically delete files and folders placed in the trash after 30 days.
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For three months in 2018, Google Duo offered built-in screen sharing on Android. After we spotted work on the feature again this June, Google today announced that the capability is coming back to Duo.
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Nest Hub and Smart Display interface updates occur subtly in the background. Recent ones introduced a light theme and tweaked settings. Google is now revamping alarms on Nest Hubs with more on-device controls and a “Sunrise” feature.
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