At I/O 2018, Google previewed a number of upcoming features for several major products and services. Assistant is slated to get a more visual experience, with version 8.4 of the Google app today providing a first glimpse at that revamped interface. Meanwhile, work continues on Feed reactions, Read Later, and more.
Since our last APK Insight of Android Messages, Google announced a significant rebrand of its RCS initiative. Upcoming Chat features include Messages for Web, Smart Reply, read receipts, and much more. Version 3.2 rolling out today reveals more about how the web client will work and a possible dark mode.
The latest beta of the Google app is rolling out this morning following last week’s update that made the Pixel’s “At a glance” widget available on other Android devices. Version 8.2 reveals work on setting a default Notes and List app for Assistant, some renamed sections, and other features.
For most people, contact management is a constant struggle from adding new ones to efficiently organizing and filling out information. In recent releases, Google Contacts added various smarts to help, with a teardown now revealing work on more accurate suggestions and a widget in version 2.7.
Google Duo has been updated with a number of major features in recent weeks, including Google Account linking and a fun way to send quick video/voicemails. With version 33, the video service continues work on adding expressive features and a possible landscape interface for tablets.
While most visual changes to Google app betas are usually minor, version 8.1 is throwing us a curve ball. This update excitingly adds a new “At a glance” widget that was previously limited to Pixel devices, while removing “Your People” and revealing a possible new or redesigned tab for the Google app.
Over the weekend, we spotted a Material Design “refresh” for Chrome on Windows, while we’ve previously managed to enable “Material Design 2” in the Google app and Feed. Today, we’ve been able to access it in Google Play services with revamped “My Account” settings in what is likely our best look at Google’s future design language.
Google app 8.0 revealed several features in development for Assistant like training “Your People” and Custom Routines that could run on a schedule. We’ve now managed to enable a number of new interfaces and other functionality in version 8.0, including a bottom bar redesign and the upcoming Collections feature.
From a versioning perspective, today’s update to the Google app is major one as it jumps from 7.x to 8.x. A new “Your People” training feature for Assistant is already visible (but not live), while strings reveal work on Custom Routines, Lens, Smart Displays, and more.
The last update to Play Music for Android was in February with a minor and solitary addition of a setting to remove album artwork from the lock screen. A new version today consolidates several options under a new “Location & Privacy” section and adds others that were previously only found on the web.
The last version of Duo began rolling out initial support for Google Account linking. That feature is still in development, but a new update provides more details about that future functionality, while Google appears to be working on a bokeh camera filter and some level of exporting call history.
On Friday, our APK Insight of Google app 7.26 revealed a lot more about smart displays and upcoming Home functionality, like email Personal Results. On the phone side, we’ve since been able to activate a new “Material Design 2” look and several in-development features.
The updated list of I/O 2018 sessions yesterday hinted at “exciting updates” for Google Photos at the annual developer conference in May. Till then, version 3.18 is rolling out with work continuing on liking photos and videos in shared albums, more precise archiving, and possible Cardboard Camera integration.
Google announced a beta for its Phone app this afternoon, with spam filtering as one of the first features. Today’s first beta also contains some other changes like the bottom bar redesign that we enabled several versions ago and tweaks to voicemail transcription.
Rumors last year pegged the launch of Google’s new YouTube music streaming service in March, but of course that month has come and gone. Meanwhile, YouTube Music continues its regular updates that don’t reveal many user-facing changes, but always show work under-the-hood.
The last beta version of the Google app was peculiar in that it moved from a bimonthly release cycle to a weekly cadence. Google app 7.26 this evening continues that increased pace with a version jump after only six days. The update provides a glimpse into the UI for smart displays, including icons and details about a home screen. It also follows up on emails for Google Home and reveals a possible new Reservation functionality for Assistant.
Only a week after the last version of the Google app arrived in the beta channel, the next variant is already available. Version 7.25 reveals that Google is working on “Assistant for Households” and possibly getting email notifications on Home smart speakers. Meanwhile, it is also preparing Search widget customization and rearranging actions in custom Routines.
The Gboard 7.1 beta began rolling out last evening with the notable addition of auto-spacing after punctuation. Meanwhile, the app is working on a number of other features like new emoji and handwriting settings, as well as preparing the ability to make GIFs.
After seeing a spate of ARCore apps announced last week for GDC, Google is today rolling out version 1.1 of the Android SDK for augmented reality. As promised at launch last month, this update hints at support for more devices.
The last update to the Google app earlier this month revealed a number of in-development features like new gestures for Pixel Buds and came ahead of Routines for Assistant officially launching. Version 7.24 has entered the beta channel this evening with details about custom Routines and a new “pinned matches” feature for sports scores.
The last update to the Google Phone app in February added a convenient chat head option to quickly and easily access in-call controls. Version 18 is now rolling out with a tweak to the bottom bar redesign we’ve spotted, support for Android P, and a switch to the system sound and vibration settings.
After launching last week, Google Duo’s visual voicemall feature is now fully rolled out on Android and iOS. The company is now working on version 30 that better details the upcoming screen sharing and Google account linking functionality. Meanwhile, a group calling feature is also in development.
With version 3.0 of Android Messages beginning to roll out this week, Google is already working on the next update to the SMS and RCS client. We’ve received a dogfood (or internal test) version of Android Messages 3.1 and it reveals upcoming support for Android P, a built-in GIF picker, and more about the web app.
