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An update to Google Photos began rolling out late last night. There appears to be nothing noteworthy on the surface, but a teardown has turned up a couple interesting details that point to upcoming changes. We will be getting some new informative boxes that can explain why backups aren't running, plus we may finally get back the much loved option to only perform backups while charging.
Google Duo is getting an update today, and you'll actually see some changes if you install it, even though it's really just to remove colors from the Settings screen. However, a teardown shows there's actually a lot more coming in the future, including the ability to block email, a data saver mode, and maybe even the ability to show previously recorded videos to other people.
ARCore updates generally just bring support to a set of both old and new Android devices, but every once in a while we're treated to something pretty unexpected. In the latest version, new profiles can be found for one, or maybe even two currently unreleased Google devices. The first of these devices bares the Bonito name, originally expected to be a mid-range Pixel phone. There's also a brand new fish-themed codename that may represent an entirely new device: Sargo.
Google began rolling out the traditional friday night update to the beta channel. Like so many other updates, this one brings with it minor tweaks to the interface. Of more interest are the topics for a teardown, which includes changes to Voice Match, migration of more settings for the home screen, and a bit more about KITT.
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
The latest Google Phone update is out, but you're probably not going to spot anything too special right out of the gate. The changes worth noting are to the upcoming dark mode, which appears to be complete as of this version. It still hasn't gone live, but it probably could at any time. There's also text describing a tweak that would allow blocked phone numbers to be shared between apps.
When you're about to take a two-week vacation to the Caribbean, you're probably not going to cancel your newspaper subscription and then start a new one as soon as you get back. No, you're just going to call up and have them suspend deliveries for a couple of weeks. Why should your digital subscriptions be any different? A recent update to the Play Store suggests Google is asking the same question.
The latest Gboard update is rolling out to the beta channel, and this one comes with the promise of a very heavily requested feature: Clipboard integration. Soon we'll be able to copy stacks of things between applications without hopping back and forth for each and every line. There are also interesting strings suggesting we might get improved voice typing.
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Back in July, a teardown of Gboard v7.4 revealed Google's intent to add a floating keyboard to the experience. With v7.6, it looks like that keyboard is ready for prime time. There are also signs of upcoming Halloween GIFs, plus quite a few new languages.
The latest Google app update is rolling out to the beta channel, but as usual, you're probably not going to see much in the way of changes after installing it. The version number lept from 8.27 to 8.33, which looks odd, but I assure you, it makes total sense if you think about it. Today we'll be talking about a new page for home screen settings, more about linking services to notes and lists, personalized news settings, and more.
The latest update to Inbox only served to rub some salt in the wound as it was prepared for its impending demise, but maybe clues from the latest Gmail update will provide some solace. There aren't any changes jumping out after installing, but some hints inside the app to point to early implementations for some of the features people love from Inbox.
Duo is getting an update today, bringing the version number up to 42. Upon install, there aren't any visible changes, but a quick teardown points to a potentially great enhancement. Just in time for the holidays, users may get to send video messages to multiple recipients, thus saving the time it would take to record a message to each and every person individually.
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Google added 4K movies to its library back in late 2016, following the launch of the Chromecast Ultra. Since then, many people — myself included — came to realize that there was one big oversight: It's not possible to upgrade your existing HD movies to 4K. There was no upgrade pricing or even an option to remove a movie from your account and then purchase it again in 4K at full price. As it turns out, that issue will be rectified soon: Google is bringing upgrades to Play Movies, and it looks like they will be free.
We are months away from the inevitable termination of Inbox, but the development team seems to be getting ready for that day well in advance. The latest update brings with it some of the preparations for making the switch back to Gmail. This includes removing the setting for blocking Gmail notifications, plus a couple of the messages that will be shown to users to direct them toward the right Google apps.
There's a new beta for the Google app rolling out, and this one takes a sizeable leap in version number to 8.28 from the 8.24 that came out just about a week and a half ago. There's not a lot to see in the way of changes, and even the teardown is on the soft side. Nevertheless, there are a few things to look through. And as always, we're still watching for more changes.
When you're hopping into your car and starting up navigation with Google Maps, you might be in for a surprise as the UI is getting some pretty significant changes. This isn't just about adding rounded corners or tweaking some colors, a few parts of the UI have been moved around and behave a bit differently, so your muscle memory might work against you for a little while as you get adjusted.
Some of the updates seeping out from the Pixel 3 have been pretty innocuous while others are quite significant. The Clock update leans toward the innocuous side as it brings some subtle but pleasing visual changes to its interface. A teardown also turns up part of the sunrise feature that was announced earlier today.
Google just finished announcing the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, the latest generation in a line of phones known for exceptional camera performance. If you've ordered one and you're looking for a way to dress it up a bit, and maybe up your photography game in the process, Moment has also released three new photo cases to protect your latest gadget investment. They're available in Black, Walnut, and an all new Tan Leather option made from speckled white Horween Leather.
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
The latest version of Google Duo has landed, but like so many other updates, it doesn't appear to change anything immediately upon installation. However, as tradition dictates, there are a couple of interesting things to see from a teardown. It looks like Duo will be adding support for pinning contacts to the top of your list for convenient access. You should also be able to begin making calls to smart displays linked to your account for an easy way to call home.