APK Insight

As early as 2018, Google had been readying an Assistant-adjacent feature that supercharges saving and reminders on Android. It now appears that Google is no longer working on “Assistant Memory” as the company’s reminders strategy becomes ever more muddled. 

The latest update to the Google Camera app, version 8.5, includes new details about the photography and videography features of the Pixel 7 and next year’s Pixel tablet.

At the start of this month, it emerged that Google Assistant is losing the ability to set both location-based and assigned reminders. A bigger change looks to be underway as that old Assistant Reminders system in Google Calendar is being replaced by Google Tasks.

Google Messages is set to get a bit more customizable in the near future, allowing you to choose what happens when you swipe a conversation to the left or right.

Google launched its Android, iOS, and web note-taking app in March of 2013. Now, over nine years later, Google Keep is about to add text formatting that will let you bold, italicize, and underline text. 

It seems this fall’s Google Pixel Watch will get a dedicated app, as teased by a new settings page for “Smart Unlock.”

The latest update to Stadia’s Android app readies the ability to add reactions to posts on the Explore tab, while also continuing work toward 1440p streaming and motion controls.

Nearly two years after the last settings redesign, Google is taking another stab at making it easier to control and manage the ever-growing list of what Assistant can do.

In March of 2021, Google started using federated learning on Android to improve “Hey Google” hotword accuracy. An upcoming “Personalized speech recognition” feature now looks to help Google Assistant get “better at recognizing your frequent words and names.”

As seen by camera-based heart and respiratory rate tracking in Fit for Android, one aspect of Google’s Health initiative is leveraging existing devices to collect health data. Google is now in the process of testing on-device snore and cough detection for Android and/or Pixel.

Stadia 4.16 is rolling out now via the Google Play Store and includes preparations for likely 1440p streaming, in-app help improvements, and more.

The latest update to Google Messages prepares to offer suggested actions for certain messages such as starring, scheduling, and more.

As part of Google’s continued expansion of the Pixel series’ At a Glance features, you may soon get notifications of package deliveries spotted by your Nest Doorbell.

The latest Digital Wellbeing feature coming soon to Android 13 devices is the ability for Bedtime Mode to dim your wallpaper.

Following the trend set by many other Google apps, Google News is the next product set to gain a Material You redesign on Android, and we have your first look.

After introducing better widgets, Apple Music for Android is getting an in-app Sleep Timer that offers extensive options. 

The latest update to the Stadia app, version 4.13, points to game-specific touchscreen controls and hints at 1440p streaming on Android.

With Android 12, the Pixel Launcher introduced a new on-device search experience at the top of the app launcher. While it’s temporarily gone from Android 13 Beta 1, the Pixel Launcher is working on search shortcuts beyond the Google app.

The security industry, as organized by the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance, has been working to replace passwords given people’s tendency to use weak ones or reuse them. Two-factor authentication (2FA) has helped to remedy that but the future is “passkeys,” with Android and Google readying support.

In October of 2020, one Nest Hub Max user managed to get an early look at “Blue Steel.” This capability lets you just gaze at your compatible Smart Display to trigger Google Assistant, and a launch under the name “Look and Talk” might be coming soon.

It should soon be possible to use the At a Glance widget on Pixel phones to keep track of your grocery orders, including when pickups are ready and when deliveries are on their way.