Version 2.9 of Android Messages is rolling out and a teardown reveals that Google has very big plans for its official SMS/RCS client. Currently in development is an Allo-like web client that would allow users to check and reply to messages on the web. Meanwhile, this latest update also reveals Google Pay integration and a push to increase RCS adoption.
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Google is expected to release a revamped music streaming service that would reportedly merge YouTube Music and Play Music. Pegged for an announcement as early as March, previous teardowns have already revealed some possible hints about it. Today, YouTube Music 2.19 reveals an icon for something named “YouTube Premiere.”
Over the past several versions, we’ve been tracking Duo working on letting you link a Google account in addition to a phone number. The new option would allow users to be reached via an email address, and help with reachability. Google Duo 27 now reveals that account linking will also be tied to multi-device support.
One of 2018’s big launches for Google is expected to be a revamped music streaming service. Current rumors peg a redesign for YouTube Music and Play Music coming as soon as March. Our teardown of the latest version of YouTube Music reveals that the app is prepping a number of features, including Play Music’s location-based playlists.
In the last version two weeks ago, the Google app teased primary and secondary languages for Assistant, as well as revealing more about smart displays. An update rolling out today reveals that custom hotwords might be coming to Assistant. Meanwhile, version 7.20 also details more about bilingual support, offline podcast downloads, and more.
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A small upgrade to Google Duo earlier this month added the ability to move around the floating video window when in a call. Today, a bigger update to the video messaging app is rolling with version 26. It hints at a possible name for the audio/video messaging feature, as well as some other minor tweaks.
After a hiatus due to the December holidays, the latest Google Allo update is now rolling out. In version 26, we’ve been able to activate a cool new expressive feature called “Scene Generation,” as well as the ability to preview Assistant results and set default identities.
Following the last update adding a white navigation bar, duplicate contact management, and Assisted Dialing, the latest version of the Google Phone app is now rolling out. Among other smaller tweaks, version 16 reveals work on a redesigned Favorites tab.
While lacking on major user-facing changes, the latest beta version of Gboard hints at a number of exciting features in development. Version 6.9 reveals that Gboard is working on Smart Reply suggestions for incoming notifications, a new keyboard, and more about the “Make your own GIF” feature.
The latest version of the Google app is rolling out this morning and it reveals a number of upcoming features in development. For Assistant, the ability to change languages — as well as setting a secondary one — is noted, while more Quartz, Home, and possibly TV features are also detailed.
Earlier today, YouTube for Android jumped to version 13.0 (from 12.x) and with it hints at a number of new upcoming features in development. This includes a long-awaited dark theme, Incognito mode, and other changes that are already live in the app.
Due to the holiday season, version 7.17 of the Google app first hit the beta channel in late November and rolled out to all users throughout December. Now, version 7.18 has arrived with more hints of the rumored Home with a display, Lens functionality, and more.
As we spotted in our teardown earlier this month, Google Duo is working on Google account linking so that users can be reached via email address. The latest version of the video chatting service is now rolling out and preparing alerts to improve the general calling experience.
In a teardown last month, we spotted Allo preparing a transcription feature for voice messages. With version 25 rolling out now, that functionality is beginning to go live for users, while Google continues work on camera effects and a Reply feature that quotes previously sent messages.
YouTube Music only recently brought over controls for double-tapping to seek through a video. Today, the latest version hints at the app adding the ability to enable/disable autoplay, as well as a new queue feature for arranging playback.
As we’ve found, Google’s consumer video/audio messaging service is working on features like Google account linking and screen sharing. The latest version of the app is now rolling out with progress on those features underway, as well as the ability to delete your Duo account in settings.
Our teardown of Allo 24 revealed that Google’s consumer messaging app might be on the verge of letting users contact one another via email address. This would alter the app’s central tenet of phone number-based communication which have informed other features like the web app and only being able to sign-in on one device.
Fortunately, the latest update of Allo hints that too might be change, with Google working on multi-device support for the service.
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The latest update to Google Allo is rolling out this morning. While the messaging app is light on new changes or features, version 24 reveals that the ability to reach people via Google account and email address is in the works. Furthermore, there are several changes to related to the camera.
With the last update to Google Duo, we were able to activate and demo a screen sharing feature. Version 23 of Duo is now rolling out and work continues on the audio/video messages feature. Meanwhile, camera effects have been removed, while something called “Drishti” has been added in its place.
The latest update of Google Photos began rolling out yesterday with a visual change that adds a light navigation bar on Pixel devices, as well as new text selection functionality in Google Lens. A teardown of version 3.10 reveals a number of in-progress features coming to the app.
While the latest Google Voice update does not feature many notable visible changes, the messaging app is working on exciting functionality. Namely, version 5.6 hints that you may soon be able to send messages using the Ok Google/Assistant hotword.
In recent months, Google Keep has been more closely aligned with Google Drive thanks to numerous integrations. The latest one sees Keep on Android adding a similar Explore feature that scans notes and offers useful productivity suggestions.
The latest version of the Google app is rolling out this morning and it comes with another redesign of Assistant settings. Version 7.17 also reveals some sort of syncing feature with Chrome, upcoming Google Lens functionality, and more.
After the last update added support for 40 additional languages, including Chinese and Japanese, version 6.8 of Gboard is now rolling out. The biggest change is the addition of a new handwriting keyboard that we spotted in a previous teardown.