For a long time, the Google app on Android has had a not-so-hidden weather “app” built-in. It offers a full UI with limited but useful features. It gets the job done for a lot of people and has a cute little frog too. Now, though, some Android users have noticed that the Google weather app has disappeared off of their phones.
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Updated via the Google app, Lens and Podcasts recently picked up some new features. The visual search tool gains a “Places” filter, while Podcasts makes switching to the next episode somewhat faster.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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.
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.
A bug with the latest Google app beta today sees the Discover feed available to the left of Android homescreens consistently crash. This issue affects both Google and non-Pixel devices.
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.
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.
Google has been rolling out dark mode to its various apps for over a year at this point, but the Google app’s dark mode never fully stuck on Android or iOS. Today, Google has confirmed that rollout is finally happening for all users.
Discover provides a feed of personalized articles that are usually relevant to your interests. A sign-in error where no stories load is plaguing Google Discover on Android today.
On Android, Google’s visual search tool can primarily be accessed from the homescreen or through Assistant. Google Lens is now testing a shortcut in Image Search.
The latest Google app beta (version 11.9) rolled out yesterday evening and includes work on a new “Bell Schedule” feature. Due to a bug, some users have lost the Google Search and Assistant dark themes with this update.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The new Google Assistant launched with the Pixel 4 last October and has expanded to more users since then. A look into Google app 11.3 reveals work on “Assistant Shortcuts” to let you create voice macros for supported apps.
Back in February, the Google app beta started testing a Lab that brings Doodles to the homescreen of non-Pixel devices. In a sign that this delightful customization is exiting preview soon for all Android phones, there is now a “Show Doodles on search widget” setting.
Google app 11.3 is rolling out to the beta channel this afternoon and reveals work on two upcoming capabilities. Google Lens looks to be getting offline visual translations, while Assistant is getting some sort of photo suggestions feature.
At this point, the Google app’s dark mode is pretty widely available on Android. A specific — albeit wide-ranging — bug today in Google’s beta version sees image results get color inverted.
Google today lets you control Discover by hiding stories and publications, as well as specifying interests. Users can now “Report content” that appears in Google Discover with a number of available reasons.
