APK Insight

Google has recently begun making progress toward bringing reactions to RCS, or at least their version of RCS in the Google Messages app. In the latest salvo in the petty war of blue bubble vs green bubble, Google Messages is getting ready to send some very iMessage-like reaction text messages, such as “Liked a photo.”

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Late last year, Google decided to take a new approach with updates to their Google Pixel phones. In addition to the monthly security updates, every three months Pixel phones will get a larger “feature drop,” with the first drop bringing helpful features like automatic call screening. Pixel Tips got an update today, which lays outs the new features coming in the March 2020 feature drop, including dark mode scheduling and the long-anticipated “Cards & Passes.”

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Google Stadia received an update today, bringing it to version 2.7, and introducing a few minor tweaks to the UI. Below the surface though, we find that Google is preparing to launch Stadia Base with a Stadia Pro free trial, as well as YouTube live streaming and more.

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Google’s flagship Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 phones both have extra features exclusively used when docked on the official Google Pixel Stand wireless charger. Google is preparing to launch another such feature for the Pixel Stand in version 1.4.0 of the companion app, bringing convenient smart home controls via the Google Home app.
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The first Android 11 Developer Preview arrived for our Pixels today, bringing a variety of updates, and preparing for things to come in the later betas. In an example of the latter, the Google Pixel Launcher has been updated with references to a smart hotseat of app shortcuts and a back gesture tutorial.

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Last April, Google killed Inbox with the promise that popular features would be migrated to Gmail. Nearly a year later, that has yet to occur, but the latest version (2020.02.02) of Gmail for Android today reveals that work is underway.

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One of the features many will likely miss when switching from iMessage to RCS is message reactions. The latest Google Messages beta, version 5.7 “Unicorn,” appears to be adding emote reactions for messages, as well as the ability to draw on images.

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Google Photos is working on an Android redesign that removes the navigation drawer to center controls around the bottom bar. With version 4.38 today, we have our first look at the new Search tab.

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The latest beta version of the Google app rolled out this evening with continued development on a handful of features that we’ve been tracking. Google app 10.95 provides our first look at Hey Google sensitivity and a unified Assistant settings list. There are also tweaks to the dark theme.

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Late last year, we enabled the early stages of a Google Podcasts revamp that includes a bottom bar and built-in queue. A month later with Google app 10.94, it’s been iterated on further with more functionality revealing just what is different.

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In the last release of the Google Phone app, our team uncovered that the app was gaining the ability to record phone calls. Tonight, Google Phone 44 has released with more preparations for that feature, including the ability to have your recorded call transcribed.

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Google Camera 7.3 is rolling out this evening with some minor tweaks to the app. More notable is how this latest version hints at 24FPS video recording and the upcoming “mid-range” Pixel 4a.

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The first update for the Google Stadia app of 2020 arrived earlier today, bringing a handful of improvements and features. Looking deeper into the app, we’ve found evidence that Google Stadia on Android will soon let you zoom in on screenshots, use the Assistant, and more.

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Without a doubt, the best video calling app on Android, and one of the closest competitors to Apple’s FaceTime, is Google Duo. We’ve uncovered evidence that Samsung is working on integrating Google Duo directly into the Samsung Messages app for Galaxy devices.

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A few weeks after the last beta, Gboard 9.0 is rolling out with developments on a number of fronts. In addition to an image clipboard manager, we’ve enabled some tweaks to that UI and others to the voice typing experience.

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Earlier this week, the Chromium Gerrit revealed that Chrome will soon let you copy images directly to Android’s clipboard. We’ve managed to enable that capability today, along with an image clipboard manager in the latest Gboard beta.

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The latest Google app beta yesterday detailed how Assistant’s upcoming hotword sensitivity capability will work, and made several changes to Podcasts. Google app 10.93 reveals development on recording pronunciations for your contacts, “general” Assistant settings, and other features.

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With the launch of Gmail’s Material Theme revamp on the web in 2018, Tasks was reintroduced as a standalone to-do app. Google Tasks now appears to be readying Hangouts Chat integration.

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At CES earlier this month, Google laid out what’s coming to Assistant over the course of 2020. The latest Google app beta (10.93) this afternoon details a handful of upcoming capabilities, like hotword sensitivity for “Hey Google.”

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When having any particularly important conversation, whether a professional interview or meeting, or just a meaningful conversation with a loved one, it can be a good idea to record it for posterity. Google already has recording in-person conversations down through their recent Recorder app, but phone conversations are a bit more difficult.

A teardown of Google Phone 43 has revealed that the Pixel series’ default dialer app may be gaining the ability to record phone calls.

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Google’s primary streaming service in 2019 introduced personalized mixes, smart downloads, and other tweaks. The cloud locker that everyone is waiting for did not arrive, but YouTube Music 3.47 today suggests that the interface is being readied on Android.

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