In recent months, Google’s default Messages app has received a number of major updates including the Google Material Theme with dark mode, and advanced search filters. Now, Messages 3.8 is rolling out today with a revamped camera and gallery interface.
One of the biggest rounds of applause at Made by Google 2018 was for Night Sight on the Pixel 3. The feature is rolling out starting today with a handful of options in Google Camera 6.1.021, which also reveals continued work on a Time Lapse mode.
Announced at I/O 2018 for Android, Digital Wellbeing is an important pillar for Google moving forward. Now an industry-wide trend, it was discussed at the 10/9 Made by Google event and is now also available on Google Home and YouTube. These features for monitoring and limiting app usage exist in beta with Digital Wellbeing 1.0, though Google has not yet announced or opened up public availability.
Smart Displays allow Assistant to provide visual feedback, but the clear benefit of the screen is as a digital picture frame for Google Photos. An update to the Google Home companion app today preps a “Minimum brightness” setting for the Home Hub, while there are a handful of minor Material Theme tweaks.
In another version jump, the latest Google app beta is rolling out this afternoon. Google app 8.49 details work on linking compatible cars with Google Assistant and the ability to share Collections. Other features in-development include auto-downloading in Google Podcasts and a Google Lens history.
Alongside the Pixel 3 and Home Hub, Google Photos added support for “Live Albums” that automatically update with new images. Google Photos 4.5 is now rolling out with a focus on backing up pictures to the cloud, including the possible return of a long requested feature.
While today’s Google app beta is not as jam-packed with major discoveries as last week’s, there are a number of tweaks and other changes in-progress. Google app 8.44 details some refinements for upcoming functionality like setting a default notes/lists provider, Assistant recommendations, and more.
The latest beta version of the Google app is rolling out this evening with a number of new features. Google app 8.39 reveals a possible upcoming deprecation of “Unlock with Voice Match,” a Material Theme for the “More” tab, and “kitt” — Assistant for cars.
For several years now, the Google app allowed users to unlock a device with your voice when interacting with Google Assistant. After removing on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, “Unlock with Voice Match” appears to be nearing deprecation and replacement on all other Android devices given that it’s not too secure.
Over the weekend, several beta Gboard features went live, including the Floating keyboard on Android. Gboard 7.7 is now rolling out and we’ve enabled a built-in Clipboard manager, on-device voice typing, new Sand theme, and more in this update.
At 10/9, the Google Phone added a Call Screen feature where Assistant can answer calls on your behalf and interact with the person on the other end. Google Phone 25 is now rolling out and details more about the in-progress dark theme.
Google Photos continues to introduce and iterate on machine learning-powered features first announced at I/O 2018. Version 4.4 is rolling out and details more Suggested Actions, as well as work to support the Pixel 3’s Top Shot feature.
After releasing a beta release on Monday morning, Google is back with a new version this Friday evening. Google app 8.33 — another jump from version 8.28 — features a number of discoveries related to Assistant, including “Personalized News,” Android Auto, and Notes and Lists.
Following the last beta revealing that Google was developing a new floating keyboard, the new mode is momentarily visible to users after installing this latest update. Meanwhile, version 7.6 of Gboard also features more work on Smart Reply for notifications and other minor tweaks.
Duo is Google’s one succesful messaging service given its simplicity and focus on letting users video and voice call. After adding support for Smart Displays and some Material Theme tweaks, Google Duo 42 is preparing support for sending audio and video voicemail to multiple contacts in a format similar to other popular story-based social networks.
Missing the usual Friday release, the latest Google app beta is rolling out this morning. Jumping from version 8.24, Google app 8.28 details Routines integration in Google Clock, Slices, and more. It also happens to coincide with redesigned Google Assistant settings appearing for more users.
After spotting in an APK Insight last month, Google at 10/9 announced a new Live Albums features for Google Photos. This updating collection of images allows you to easily share new pictures without having to manually add new ones. Meanwhile, Google Photos 4.3 also reveals work on new Suggested Actions.
Alongside the Home Hub, Google yesterday detailed an update to the Home companion app that makes the client a dashboard for your smart home. Google Home 2.6 is now rolling out with a revamped Google Material Theme that leverages a bottom bar, while revealing work on Digital Wellbeing and support for the Home Hub.
The latest version of the Google app is rolling out to the beta channel this evening. It continues work on a number of features including Assistant Households, setting a default Notes and Lists app, Google Lens, and much more.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Search, Google this week announced a number of new features that are set to launch in the coming months. Till then, version 8.23 of the Google app reveals work on importing images for Google Lens analysis and more about Assistant Households.
Last month, the Google Phone app received a Material Theme redesign in line with the company’s other communication apps. Version 24 today reveals work on a dark mode, while the company is continuing development on a redesign of the “Favorites” tab.
The latest beta of the Google app is rolling out this morning with a very tantalizing hint at the Pixel Stand. Other tweaks in version 8.22 include a new Sound Search widget, auto-downloading for Podcasts, and detailing the Assistant Household feature.
In recent weeks, Android Messages has been redesigned with a Google Material Theme and dark mode, while also gaining a Messages for web client. Version 3.6 is now rolling out with advanced search and a new Material icon. Other new features include contact sharing and automatic previews.
Google shared this morning that Google Lens was coming to Google Images. Meanwhile, last week, Google updated the Android app to version 1.1 and made visual search more widely accessible via the Share sheet menu.