Category: App Update

Google’s SMS & MMS app, Google Messenger, has had a nice update this week that brings a lot of visual tweaks as well as some new features.  The new build is version 2.0 and it is rolling out now in the Google Play Store.  The most immediate thing you will notice is the new round icon for the app, fitting in nicely with the look of the Google Pixel launcher on the Pixel devices.  That new icon also can now show unread message counts, ala iOS, which is something that Android frankly has needed for a long time.  But get this:  It doesn’t work on the new Pixel Launcher or the Google Now Launcher.

Insert head scratching here.

The outstanding (and my clear favorite) podcast app, Pocket Casts, has a major update rolling out in the Play Store today.  The update, version 6.0 for those keeping score at home, brings support for key Android Nougat features as well as the ability to share your list of podcasts with others.  As for the Nougat features, multi-window support is now in the app.  Now you can view a video podcast on 1/2 of your device screen while working on something else in the other half.  This is particularly handy if you are viewing an educational podcast and want to jot notes down in Keep for example.

Google Allo has not had the best reception since its release last month but it is clear that Google intends on driving it and their new video app, Google Duo, as their primary messaging apps.  Allo, for its part, is getting a healthy update today that brings a couple of feature many users requested on the initial release.  First is Direct Reply.  This feature allows you to reply to a message right from the notification shade – like you can with, oh, just about every other messaging app from Google and others.  While you have had quick responses available in the Notification Shade, being able to reply with your own text, to now, hasn’t been an option.  This is certainly a must have feature for a messaging app these days and it is good that Allo has it on board.

An update is currently rolling out to the Google Play Store for Google Docs and Google Sheets that further both apps features around collaboration.  Both apps now allow you to create and assign action items to collaborators on a document or file.  For example, if you want to have a team member work on a specific paragraph or the financial figures in a particular part of the document or sheet, you can assign it to them and get notified when that task is completed.  It is a great way for teams to work together on a file and to make sure specific edits are completed.

As a Google Photos Top Contributor, there are a few feature requests that I hear pretty regularly.  One of those is now off the list:  Albums in search results.  The latest update to the Photos app now shows you albums in your search results when you are looking for a photo (or in this case a set of photos) within the app.  It is a small feature mind you and frankly, should have been there a while ago.  But it is there now and it is a good proof point that Google does take user feedback seriously.  With any Google app, if there is a feature you want to see, use the Feedback feature to get that to Google.  It really does work.

There is a new update to Chrome for Android rolling out that has some nice new features for the browser.  The update is version 54.0.2840.68 for those keeping score at home and is now in the Google Play Store.  The OTA update should roll out to your devices over the course of the next few days.  Once you have it, there are three new features that will be available that improve the overall experience of the app.  First, there are new article suggestions when you open up a new tab.  This will be based on your browsing history as well as topics you’ve identified in other Google services (like Google News) that are of interest to you.