In July of last year, we spotted development of an “Assistant Chat Head” that never ended up launching. Google is now working on a more useful “Search bubble” chat head that provides quick access to text and voice lookup.

expand full story

In a very welcome change from what we previously expected, the Google Weather Material You widgets are now live on existing Pixel phones with the latest Google app beta.

expand full story

While Discover and Assistant Snapshot have gone through a handful of visual revamps in recent years, the rest of the Google app has remained the same. Google is now testing a settings redesign on Android that removes the “More” tab.

expand full story

Following the big update in August, Google Podcasts for Android is getting a straightforward Material You redesign, though it’s not yet widely rolled out.

expand full story

Google has been working on an in-app browser for Search on Android for quite sometime now. After being widely rolled out to the beta channel for the past few months, it has disappeared and reverted to Chrome Custom Tabs.

expand full story

After redesigning the Weather app, Google’s next step is introducing Android 12 homescreen widgets. We enabled the first one last week, and the second Google widget coming is straight from the Pixel 6’s Material You advertising. 

expand full story

After initial testing in May, Google today has widely rolled out a redesign of Android’s default Weather app. Part of Google Search, the experience was overdue for a modernization.

expand full story

The latest version of Google Search’s integrated bookmarking feature is called “Collections.” It was last updated in early 2020, and a redesign of Collections today makes the Google app tab much more useful.

expand full story

Google recently redesigned Lens to prioritize screenshot analysis over live capture. Google Lens is now seeing a Material You flourish and even more prominent placement on Android.

expand full story

Assistant Snapshot carries forward the legacy of Google Now, though its prominence is diminished compared to the previous feed. Its standing might be further de-prioritized following a pair of worrisome changes to Snapshot in the Google app and Assistant.

expand full story

Following the latest update, the Google app, Podcasts, and Lens are repeatedly crashing, while Assistant is also unavailable. Users across Google Pixel, Samsung, and Motorola phones are affected.

expand full story

One of the key aspects of the Pixel Launcher experience is “At A Glance,” which has seen a handful of weather-related tweaks in recent months. Google is now planning to overhaul the capability into “Live Space” and better integrate it on with Assistant on Pixel phones running Android 12.

expand full story

Google is rolling out a new Search Console Insights tool that provides creators with an overview of how their content is performing. It’s meant to be an “easier way to understand how your content resonates with readers.”

expand full story

The last visual revamp for Assistant in late 2020 saw the light bar come to all Android devices. Google is now working on what looks to be a new design that takes advantage of dropdown menus to show more information, while Assistant is getting new microphone sounds.

expand full story

After the Now Playing screen got updated earlier this year, the rest of the Google Podcasts is getting a revamp. The changes aren’t major, but there are a number of great usability upgrades for longtime users. 

expand full story

For the past several weeks, we’ve been tracking an Assistant feature codenamed “Guacamole” in the Google app. We can now report that “Guacamole” will let users perform time-sensitive Assistant “quick tasks” like answering calls or silencing alarms on your Android phone without having to first say “Hey Google.”

expand full story

The very first iteration of Assistant for phones was focused on voice commands until Google in 2018 added Smart Display-inspired visual elements like on-screen controls. Last year, a Snapshot feed to show personalized recommendations and upcoming events was added. Overall, Google wants Assistant to be better suited for and take advantage of the phone form factor, and an upcoming “Memory” feature — which we enabled — is the most significant example of that goal to date.

expand full story

Recently, instead of using classic Chrome Custom Tabs, the Google app for Android began using a bespoke in-app browser for search results and more. Now the in-app browser for Google Search on Android is testing handy shortcuts to “Read Aloud” and “Translate.”

expand full story

Last year, the Google app on Android ditched Chrome Custom Tabs when opening Discover articles and Search results. Google has now redesigned the custom in-app browser with a bottom bar to make it easier to navigate.

expand full story

The latest Google app beta is rolling out a redesign to the player screen in Google Podcasts. Simplification is the focus with more spacing given to key controls, while other actions are hidden in the process.

expand full story

A few months ago, we saw Google begin surfacing “Short Videos” in a Discover panel but it now looks as though this test has been expanded to Search.

expand full story

Google frequently asks users for feedback to improve Search results, and the latest rating example is in the Search app on Android. There is a new “Rate your recent experience” notification that appears to be focused on improving location results.

expand full story

Google Lens has long been tied to Assistant on Android, while iOS users have access to it as part of Search. The Google app on Android is now testing a prominent Lens shortcut.

expand full story

An update to the Google app for iOS is making its way to users to deliver a handy new feature. The Google app for iOS can now read articles out loud.

expand full story

One element of Google’s latest design language is having your profile image appear in the top-right corner of every application to emphasize how you’re logged in. This Google Account switcher is now getting tweaked to launch a fullscreen interface.

expand full story

Earlier this month, the Google app pulled its custom in-app browser for opening Search results and Discover articles. It was not particularly well liked for eschewing the standard Chrome Custom Tab implementation on Android. The latest Google app beta is now testing it again and made some tweaks along the way.

expand full story

With Android 11, Google is going all-in with Bubbles, a way to “let users easily multi-task from anywhere on their device.” They are primarily used for messaging notifications and quick access to conversation threads, but the latest Google app beta today reveals work on an “Assistant Chat Head.”

expand full story

After months of work, the Google app in late April started testing an in-app browser for opening Discover articles and Search results. It saw a wider rollout a few weeks later, but Google now looks to be reverting to the previous Chrome Custom Tab implementation.

expand full story

While there was no I/O this year, Google still launched a number of new features for its visual search tool in May. Google is now working on a Lens redesign for Android that adds several new capabilities.

expand full story

In addition to new auto-delete defaults, Google is making it easier to control key privacy settings. Google Account controls will be directly available in Search, while Incognito Mode is becoming more ubiquitous.

expand full story

After several years of evolution, Google Discover has firmly settled into a feed of news and articles that are tailored to your interests. Cards for sports and weather still exists, with the latter on Android seeing a redesign today in the form of a bubble.

expand full story

Since February, we’ve been tracking a redesign of Google Assistant settings on Android that greatly simplifies how to manage the sprawling, cross-device service. It’s now in testing for some users on the latest Google app beta.

expand full story

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.

expand full story

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.

expand full story

When some Android apps need to open a web page, sometimes they will use a what’s called a Chrome Custom Tab to display the page in a themed tab provided by your phone’s default browser. As of the latest beta update, the Google app is moving away from this style of browser to include an in-app browser of its own.

expand full story

From a homescreen widget to Assistant integration, the Google app is how the company wants you to access Search on Android. Yet, it’s always lacked one key feature compared to the mobile experience. The Google app beta yesterday finally added “Search Tools” and filters on Android.

expand full story

Google Assistant’s predecessor was generically known as “voice search” and activated with the “Ok Google” hotword. Despite being several years old, the capability still exists today in the Google app on Android. However, the most recent beta removes that old voice search UI.

expand full story