The latest Google app beta is rolling out this Friday in a return to the usual release cadence after a few disruptive weeks following I/O. Google app 9.94 reveals continued work on the Nest Hub Max with Face Match privacy and the possible addition of federated learning in the Search app.
Back at Google I/O 2019, it was revealed that Android Auto would be getting a huge overhaul to its design. In the latest update for the Android Auto companion app, Google is setting the foundation for that “Boardwalk” redesign ahead of its release later this Summer.
When Google first took the wraps off of Stadia during GDC, they promised that the service would have “best-in-class parental controls.” At the time, though, no further details were offered on how this would work. The latest update to Google’s Family Link app, which lets parents manage their children’s Google Accounts, gives us our first clues to how Stadia’s parental controls will work, and other potential Stadia insights.
Google Fit is currently the company’s only consumer-facing health service. Tied with Wear OS and recently rolled out to iOS, Google Fit 2.13 for Android today tweaks the manual activity logging workflow, and preps more changes to improve that process.
Over the past several beta releases, Gboard has been A/B testing a slew of new features. Gboard 8.3 enables many of the server-side changes, including Material Theme settings, trending GIF searches, and others.
At I/O 2019, Digital Wellbeing celebrated the one year anniversary of its unveiling with new features coming later this fall. The latest beta rolling out today confirms Digital Wellbeing for websites in the form of “Site usage data” and “Site timers.”
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The new “Google Nest” brand was unveiled last week at I/O 2019 and the company is already advertising it. While Nest Hub Max is the first product launching under that unification, the existing Home Hub was rebranded immediately. That new name is live in Google Home 2.11, while several references to future products and features were removed.
Last March, we spotted Google Keep readying a dark theme on Android. This dark overhaul is nearing a launch as of the latest update, while Incognito Mode appears to also be in development.
Face Match was officially announced on Tuesday at I/O 2019 for the Nest Hub Max. We’ve been tracking this capability in the Google app since earlier this year, with Google app 9.88 this evening providing some descriptive text.
Google Drive has long been the all-in-one storage solution for many, storing both traditional office files and Google Docs, along with photos and files of all varieties. In the past, Google Drive has worked in tandem with Google Photos to keep your photos safely stowed and accessible in both apps. This Google Photos sync integration seems to be ending in the near future, however, according to the latest version of the Google Drive app.
At I/O 2019, Google pushed privacy by expanding Incognito beyond Chrome to Maps and Search. Google Photos might be the next app to receive that mode, while version 4.16 today also updates the Google Lens icon to the new style.
Last April, Google redesigned Gmail on the web with the Material Theme and a number of features like snoozing, nudges, and Smart Reply. Aimed at boosting productivity, another effort was a new side panel with widgets for Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. Google Tasks integration could now be coming to the Android app.
Last week, YouTube Music began widely rolling out local “device files” playback on Android. The app’s next change is a new adaptive icon that drops the white background for a full edge-to-edge design.
Durning the I/O 2019 keynote, Google Translate made an appearance in the new Lens interface, as well as in Google Go. The dedicated Translate app for Android is now working on “New camera translation” that benefits from several advancements.
Google announced a slew of new Assistant, Lens, and Search features this week at I/O 2019. Most are coming over the next few months, with Google app 9.84 laying the groundwork for many of them. New functionality includes Personal References and Assistant driving mode.
Last week’s Google app beta revealed a host of new features, including an upcoming Lens redesign with “filters” and a new icon. Google app 9.78 today is a quieter update that primarily fixes the broken Weather app.
The last major system-level update to Wear OS introduced Android 9 Pie, with more watches seeing the update since the start of 2019. Brands are still releasing devices, but the Snapdragon Wear 3100 has yet to see wide adoption. An update to the Wear OS companion today reveals that future devices might feature eSIM.
Gboard in recent weeks began rolling out a built-in Clipboard, while the iOS client received advanced theming options. The latest beta rolled out yesterday, with Gboard 8.2 revealing work on Federated Learning and Personalization.
At I/O 2018, Google revamped Lens with real-time recognition, smart text selection, and native camera app integration. A year later, another redesign for Google Lens that adds specific recognition “filters” is in development.
While last week’s beta revealed a number of exciting in-progress features, Google app 9.72 is a quieter release that actually obscures some features, like Reminders and Intelligent Tips for At A Glance. There are also some additions and bugs with this update.
The latest version of the Google Home app for Android is rolling out this morning and it reveals two new codenames. Google Home 2.10 describes “Zion” — a “border router” with “built-in smart plug” — in-depth and “Speaker V,” as well as a “ultrasound proximity detection” feature.
Part of using any fitness app like Google Fit is to be challenged to do more activities. Continuing the app’s partnership with the World Health Organization, Google Fit will be inviting users to participate in the 2019 “Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge” next month.
At the end of last year, Waymo One launched as the world’s first public self-driving car service. The Android app for Waymo One is now officially available on the Play Store, with the Alphabet division opening a waitlist for Phoenix, Arizona. The app today reveals several details about how the autonomous service will function.
In recent weeks, Google has rolled out a number of new Duo features from the precall screen to Data Saver. The next set of features in Google Duo 52 includes a dedicated keypad and keyboard switcher, group calls, and continued work on a “bokeh effect.”
