Even without direct interaction, Assistant does a lot in the background through alerts. Google is now looking to give users a better way to manage Assistant through unified notification settings for phones.
The latest beta version of the Google app rolled out this evening with continued development on a handful of features that we’ve been tracking. Google app 10.95 provides our first look at Hey Google sensitivity and a unified Assistant settings list. There are also tweaks to the dark theme.
The Google app for Android does a lot more than search the web. It can also deliver useful notifications at a glance and, recently, Google has started rolling out an upgrade for stock notifications through its Android app.
Late last year, we enabled the early stages of a Google Podcasts revamp that includes a bottom bar and built-in queue. A month later with Google app 10.94, it’s been iterated on further with more functionality revealing just what is different.
The latest Podcasts beta introduces a number of visual tweaks throughout the app, while adding the ability to share episodes with a timestamp. However, the current Google Podcasts release introduces a bug that breaks casting episodes.
Over the past several years, Google has been adding a bookmarking feature to all of Search. “Collections” is getting a prominent launch by being elevated to its own Google app tab on Android.
The latest Google app beta yesterday detailed how Assistant’s upcoming hotword sensitivity capability will work, and made several changes to Podcasts. Google app 10.93 reveals development on recording pronunciations for your contacts, “general” Assistant settings, and other features.
Earlier this year, the Google app weather card was redesigned with themed cover images that match the current condition. Google Weather and the whimsical frog are now getting in on the New Year’s Eve action with a series of 2020 illustrations, depending on your forecast.
Keeping track of what you’re watching is harder than ever in the golden age of television and various streaming services. Google is adding a built-in “Watchlist” to Search that lets you quickly bookmark movies and TV shows.
Last week, we spotted the very early signs of a bottom bar redesign for Google Podcasts. We’ve now enabled it in full and can confirm some new functionality, including a built-in queue.
Historically, Google app betas are stable and lack any major bugs. That is not the case this week, with Google app 10.90 breaking the new Assistant exclusively found on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
The latest Google app beta introduced a crash when searching for recent messages, and coincided with a Podcasts dark theme. We’ve now enabled a bottom bar redesign for Podcasts with Google app 10.89, as well as an option to have searches open in Chrome.
The Google app has long had the ability to bring up personal and on-device results alongside online ones. It seems that a recent update has broken this feature, thus causing it to crash on a number of Android devices.
The latest beta version of the Google app rolled out last night and it continues work on a handful of features. Google app 10.83 provides our first look at the in-app browser and an early user interface for it. Elsewhere, there’s development on AR features and Voice Match for Assistant headphones.
Back in September, we first enabled a Material Theme redesign of Google Podcasts for Android. A revamped player that’s larger and fits in with the company’s current design language is now rolling out.
With the launch of Android 10 last week, Google teased night-friendly looks for Gmail and Maps. A dark theme for Google Assistant and Search is now beginning to roll out for some users.
Back in July, we spotted Assistant replacing the old “Voice search” capability in the Google app. There have been more reports of that occurring recently, with new Google app help videos suggesting that’s still on track.
The Google app has long had a built-in bookmarking feature to save links, images, and places found through Search. An update is rolling out today on Android that redesigns the interface, and prominently elevates it to the bottom bar.
Google Search has a number of built-in tools, especially on Android. Defining words is a common task for the engine, and the Android client now has a direct Google Dictionary shortcut.
Over the weekend, we spotted and enabled a new “Smart Screenshot” tool in the Google app beta. It’s now live for some users and delivers a more useful experience that adds powerful Google Lens integration.
Google app 10.61 is rolling out as the latest beta and reveals work on a new “Smart Screenshots” feature that integrates Lens. A bug with the “Preferred input” setting for Assistant has also been resolved.
In addition to a Material Theme redesign of Podcasts, Google app 10.57 preps Continued Conversation on phones and four more languages. Work on a dark theme for Search and Assistant is still underway.
Google Podcasts is readying a notable Material Theme redesign as revealed by the latest Google app beta. The changes are primarily focussed on updating the audio player, but the service is also working on “personalized recommendations.”
