One of the better things about the old Android Auto, before it got redesigned, was its Google Feed-like home screen that offered useful things like your upcoming Google Calendar events. The latest version of Android Auto points to your car regaining its Google Calendar smarts, including navigation shortcuts.
For a few years now, the Google Assistant has been integrated into Android TV, with most newer remotes offering a dedicated Assistant button and some devices offering “Hey Google” support. Now it looks like Android TV is picking up Voice Match integration with the Google Assistant, according to the latest update to the Google Search app for Android TV.
In 2018, Google Duo for Android briefly had a screen sharing feature that was quietly removed after three months. The mobile app is today working on that functionality again.
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In recent years, we’ve all wisely become more privacy-conscious, with more folks learning of and caring more about features like end-to-end encryption in messaging, but what about the sensitive files we keep on our phones? The Files by Google app is preparing the ability to create a pin-protected “Safe folder” on your phone.
Last month, Google Photos celebrated its fifth anniversary. Nothing marked the occasion, but a bottom bar redesign of the mobile app is underway, and the Android app today reveals work on a way to browse images on a map.
In November, Google framed its acquisition of Fitbit as a way to “help more people with wearables.” However, since the deal is still pending regulatory approval, the two companies have yet to integrate or announce any joint plans. That now appears to be changing as Fitbit works on bringing Google Assistant support to its devices.
Back in 2018, Google’s keyboard app for Android and iOS added “customized stickers based on you.” The Gboard 9.5 beta today suggests that “Minis” will soon be removed, while there’s more work on emoji suggestions.
Our APK Insight team has discovered that the latest update to the Bose Connect app includes references to a currently unannounced headset, the “QC35 II Gaming Headset,” including a video.
Last week, Google started migrating G Suite users away from classic Hangouts to Google Chat with the legacy service shutting down in “late 2020” for enterprise. The latest version of Google Voice for Android today provides some insight into the transition for regular users.
The Play Music library transition began last month as Google’s latest streaming service picked up a number of player updates. YouTube Music is now readying an external Bluetooth device setting and a label for audiobooks and shows.
While some areas are beginning to re-open, COVID-19 continues to be a major concern around the world today. One of the best ways to fight the spread of diseases of all kinds is to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. With the latest update to Wear OS, it appears Google is preparing a new tile with a timer to help you wash your hands thoroughly.
Since launch, Google Stadia has been slowly gaining support for more and more Android phones outside of the Google Pixel series. With the release of Stadia for Android version 2.19, it looks like the service is preparing to allow you to play on phones that haven’t yet been “certified,” alongside other new features.
Today, the folks at APKMirror got ahold of an internal “dogfood” build of Google Messages version 6.2. Here, “dogfood” is used in the sense of the phrase “eat your own dog food,” meaning actually use the product you’re building. Of course, our APK Insight team immediately dug in to see what all is coming with the next version of Google Messages. While we’re still actively looking through the many changes found within, one in particular stood out — end-to-end encryption for RCS messages.
Update 5/26: We now have a screenshot of one of the end-to-end encryption settings pages in action.
Google’s Digital Wellbeing is both an app for Pixels & other Android phones and a wider initiative to help folks find healthy ways to disconnect from their phones. The next step for the Digital Wellbeing app appears to be to use a variety of data from your phone to give insights into why you might not be sleeping at night.
As of the end of last month, Google Meet (née Hangouts Meet) is officially free for everyone, not just those with a paid G Suite account, to help the millions of people now working from home every day. To help those of us with messier homes than others, it looks like the Google Meet app for Android is preparing to launch background blur.
Those of us with Android phones can connect the Google Messages app to “Messages for web” as a way to manage SMS and RCS from a browser. Google is getting ready to take things a step further for Google Fi customers by bringing calls and voicemails to the same Messages web app.
Routines in Assistant let you invoke multiple actions using a single command. These macros can already be automatically scheduled, while Google at CES 2020 previewed an upcoming “Scheduled Actions” capability. Google Assistant now looks to be readying a “Bell Schedule” feature.
Google Stadia has had quite the busy week, between Tuesday’s Stadia Connect event and the launch of new Stadia Pro games for May. Stadia for Android also saw an update to version 2.16 this week, which continues to prep for Android TV, as well as start work on sharing captures and much more.
The second-generation Pixel Buds were announced last October as an “idea of what ambient computing feels like.” From Google Assistant to Adaptive Sound, software is a key driver of the experience. Pixel Buds are now shipping with the original functionality in tow, but one “helpful experience” that could be coming are “attention alerts.
The last major redesign of Google Lens introduced Dining and Translate filters, while Text (OCR), Shopping, and Auto became explicit modes. The visual search tool could soon pick up the ability to solve math problems.
Gmail on the desktop web today is home to more than just email. It’s long had text chat and video calling, while the last major redesign added Tasks integration. Google now looks to be bringing Chat, Meet, and Tasks functionality directly to Gmail for Android.
Last month, we exclusively revealed Google’s plans for a new Chromecast Ultra based on Android TV. The latest Google Home app is now showing signs of picking up a set-up process for televisions.
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Coinciding with the launch of Stadia’s free tier yesterday, version 2.13 of the Google Stadia app arrived on Android. Digging through the update, we’ve found that Google has begun working on the ability to play Stadia games with touch controls on your phone, as well as initial Android TV support.
