The latest Google app beta is rolling out and reveals a number of features being developed for the Google Assistant. New customization options might allow users to select different voices and hotwords. Meanwhile, there are references to the Pixel 2’s rumored squeezable frame, sleep sounds, and more podcast controls.
Thanks to the last version of the Google app, we learned a great deal about what ‘Bisto’ is, what it does, and even how it works. The latest version of the app began rolling out yesterday and it reveals a number of significant things, including insight into the next version of Android.
The latest beta of the Google app on Monday yielded a wealth of information about “Bisto.” First encountered in April as a new device type possibly related to headphones, this teardown confirmed it and detailed features, functionality, and operation.
The latest beta of the Google app is rolling out today and it reveals a great deal of new information about “Bisto.” References to a new device type emerged with version 7.0 in April and only returned earlier this month to the app.
With version 7.10, we now know much more about this device, including that Bisto in fact refers to headphones that run Google Assistant.
Google Lens is one of the most exciting launches coming from Google this year. A look at the latest Google app beta (version 7.9) reveals more about the visual search feature, its interface, and how it could be activated. Meanwhile, Google is working on adding a Quick Search bar to notifications and a redesigned Search interface. Other changes include an updated screenshot editing feature and minor tweaks to Google Assistant.
As great as summer is for having cookouts with friends and swimming, it’s also one of the worst times of year for people that suffer with seasonal allergies. Thanks to a new update to the Google app, you can now keep tabs on the pollen count in your area to see when you’re most likely to be all sorts of stuffed up and congested (Yay!)…
Google has long possessed a number of cooking-related tools, including a recipe-optimized Search functionality. Back in April, the Assistant on Google Home added the ability to verbally walk users through creating a dish. The Google Feed is now gaining more food-related smarts as its built-in ‘Cooking’ feature sees a wider rollout.
The latest beta of the Google app rolled out last night and brings along with it a number of new strings. Announced at I/O, there are more references to making calls through Google Home. There are also mentions to the proactive notifications that are coming to the device later this year.
Accelerated Mobile Pages have long appeared in Search results on the mobile web and Google app. However, they have noticeably been absent from the article-heavy Google Feed. Fortunately, it appears that AMP stories are finally appearing as Now cards on Android.
Google appears to be widely testing a slight visual redesign of mobile Search that tweaks the appearance of results and their cards. Over the past few hours, several users have spotted the change in both the Google app for Android and iOS, as well as on the mobile web.
While an A/B test of a new transparent homescreen pane is underway, other users still don’t have access to the most recent revamp of the Google app that added tabs. In a statement, Google has now provided an explanation, as well as hinting at a future update to remedy the discrepancy.
Save for the addition of an “Upcoming” tab and Search shortcuts in the past year, Google Now’s design has remained mostly unchanged. However, it appears that a significant revamp, which features a new transparent homescreen page, is now in the works.
Google Lens was one of most exciting announcements of I/O 2017, but we unfortunately have to wait until later this year for it go live. However, signs of it are beginning to show up in the latest Google beta, along with app shortcuts and other minor changes.
This week saw a number of Google Assistant-related announcements for phones from keyboard input to Actions on Google. The latest is a redesign of Assistant’s settings on phones that is starting to widely rollout today.
We told you a couple weeks ago that Google added some mysterious references to a device type called ‘Bisto’ in the beta 7.0 version of the Google app, and those stuck around even with the couple of minor updates that were pushed out since then. Today, however, with version 7.1.21.21, we can confirm that Google has indeed removed all reference to ‘Bisto’…
Following the addition of a “Similar items” feature earlier this week, Google Image Search will also showcase how fashion products look in real life. Using machine learning,”Style ideas” will be available on mobile starting today.
Update 4/13: Today’s Google app beta update to version 7.0.8 removes the Notifications toggle from phones.
Earlier this evening, Google Assistant added a new “Notifications” option in settings on both phones and Google Home. Unfortunately, the new setting does not appear to do anything yet.
Today’s update of the Google beta sees the app receive a notable version bump from 6.x to 7.x. Interestingly, version 7.0 adds references to a new device known as “Bisto” and other strings about multi-user enrollment, as well as possible new shortcut icons.
Hinted at in previous teardowns, screenshot editing tools in the Google app are beginning to go live for some users. Once enabled, screenshots can be usefully cropped and drawn on before being shared.
IFTTT integration on phones and Home is likely one of the biggest advantages of using Assistant over Google Now. The latest beta version of the Google app hints that the ability to make commands may soon be coming directly into Assistant. Other new features in 6.16 include payment authentication and a slightly updated visual search interface.
Over the past few months, the Google app on Android has been testing a ‘Recent’ section to provide a visual interface to browse through previous searches. This feature now appears to be live and widely rolling out to users.
The latest beta update of the Google app began rolling out last night, with only minor visible changes. However, underneath, it appears that Google is finally working on proper image search in version 6.14 and is adding other photo-related features.
The Google app’s on-device search functionality was upgraded last year to allow third-party apps to display content snippets right in results. Google Drive is the latest app to take advantage of this functionality with files now searchable from ‘In Apps.’
Earlier this evening, an alpha version of the Google app inadvertently rolled out. While quite unstable, some users who have sideloaded the app are reporting (via Android Police) that Google Assistant is now enabled on their non-Pixel device.
