YouTube is one of the most popular content sources in the world, and it’s constantly testing out new features in its app to make the experience better and more convenient. Now, it appears the YouTube app on Android is expanding its cast menu with a TV remote and more.
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Besides sharing duties with YouTube as Google’s digital store, Play Movies & TV serves as a fantastic directory for seeing where you can watch content online. The service now finally supports Netflix, while picking up newcomer Disney+.
Back in August, Chrome OS added media controls to its notification center, and they now show up on the lockscreen. A similar feature is now coming to Chrome for Mac, Windows, and Linux with playback now controllable from right next to the Omnibox through the “media hub.”
The Google app has long had the ability to bring up personal and on-device results alongside online ones. It seems that a recent update has broken this feature, thus causing it to crash on a number of Android devices.
While Search and Assistant have had a night mode for the last few weeks, Podcasts frustratingly missed out. Google Podcasts finally gains a much needed dark theme that respects Android 10.
After rolling out to Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux, version 79 of Chrome OS is now available. Notable features in Chrome OS 79 include a reworked Overview mode for tablet devices and lockscreen media controls.
Since launch, one focus of YouTube Music has been playlists — both editorial and algorithmic. Google’s primary streaming service today is now releasing three new personalized mixes.
Back in September, Google introduced a slate of new Photos features, including story-like “Memories” and more printing options. Google Photos today is rolling out a built-in chat service for mobile and desktop.
At the top-right corner of every Google app on the web is your profile avatar to switch accounts and access settings, as well as an app launcher. The latter component is seeing a new design today that’s been refreshed with the Material Theme and is more compact.
Following its web debut last week, the Stadia Store has been slightly reorganized to hide confusing add-ons from the main “All games” list. As a result of this change, it gives the incorrect impression that there’s only one Stadia Pro deal for December.
Especially with conflicting gestures on Android 10, navigation drawers in apps increasingly don’t make sense. For its part, Google has been moving first-party services away from side navigation to bottom bars. The latest app to test such a redesign is Google Maps.
Following the Play Store and other first-party apps, Google Photos for Android is rolling out a Material Theme account switcher. Unlike those clients, this new UI element neatly incorporates a redesigned backup upload indicator.
Given people’s general aversion to calling these days, the amount of important communication conducted over texting is not surprising. Google’s Messages app wants to secure this process with Verified SMS, and the first supported businesses have been announced. Meanwhile, spam protection in the client is now rolling out for the US.
Back in January at CES, Google announced an Interpreter Mode for Smart Displays and speakers. The real-time translation tool is now coming to Assistant for Android and iOS with a new Smart Replies capability.
October’s visual revamp of the Google Home companion app did nothing to tame the complicated assortment of Assistant device preferences. However, one tweak rolled out this past week tries to clarify how personalization and notification settings — particularly for the Nest Hub — works.
Back in July, Google redesigned the News tab in desktop Search. Looking for current events on mobile is now getting its own revamp with what Google calls “smarter organization” though machine learning and richer article cards.
Recent weeks have seen a trickle of small features for Google’s primary streaming service. The latest minor usability improvement for YouTube Music is the ability to share artist profiles on Android and iOS.
Following the Mac, Windows, and Linux release, Chrome 79 for Android is now rolling out. Tentpole features include password and phishing protections, as well as the ability for PWAs to have maskable icons.
Chrome 79 will begin rolling out today with new password and phishing protections. This includes integrating Password Checkup, as well as real-time and predictive phishing protections, to keep users safe from malicious sites and prevent account compromise.
Instead of having to forward individual emails or downloading them one-by-one, Gmail is improving its ability to send emails as attachments. Already possible today, the process is now simplified and more integrated.
Google Assistant support for third-party note and list taking providers has been a long time coming. It’s finally here with integration for Google Keep and three other services rolling out today, while Assistant is picking up two voice capabilities for photos and podcasts.
At launch last month, browsing and purchasing games for Stadia was limited to the Android and iOS apps. Google today is bringing the Stadia Store online for desktops.