Tag: App Update

The latest version of Google Contacts for Android is rolling out in the Play Store and it is bringing several noticeable UI changes.  Version 2.2 should be hitting devices with the app installed over the course of the next few days and when it does, you will immediately notice these visual updates.

First, the contact photo for your contact is much larger in this new update, harkening back to older versions of the app when this was normal view.  Google has indicated that this was one of the most requested features of the Contacts app which is why the added it back to the app.

Google Photos for Android has a small but handy update rolling out to users today.  The update, version 3.6 for those keeping score at home, brings improved speeds when it comes to sharing videos from your collection.

The improvements in speeds comes in the way that Photos handles video sharing.  When you want to share a video, a low resolution version of that video is uploaded to the service while the full resolution version is uploaded more slowly.  This is particularly handy when you are in congested network or have low signal while out-and-about.  Now you can share the video and it not take a long time to upload before you can share it.

A new update to Google Fit for Android is rolling out with several new features and enhancements.  The update is version 1.73 for those keeping score at home and most of the updates are aimed at improving your workout experience and summaries.

The most visible change in the update is the redesigned workout mode and you can now review summaries of past activities on your Android Wear device.  With Android Wear devices, you can now hear spoken announcements while you are running too.

A new update to the diet and wellness tracking app, MyFitnessPal, is rolling out in the Play Store.  The update, version 6.24-10373 for those keeping score at home, brings a lot of general fixes and improvements to the app as well as bottom tab navigation.

The new navigation in the app falls in line with what Google expects from apps today and provides three options to users.  The Home tab is your news and information feed with posts from MyFitnessPal themselves as well as achievements that friends who use the app have completed.  The Diary tab is where you log your food and exercise for the day while the Me tab gives you an overview of your profile, see your friends profiles, and your achievements.

The latest update to the Google Play Music app for Android brings a much needed ability to stop auto playing of music when you connect your phone to an external Bluetooth device.  The update, version 7.12.5218-1.V.4310085 for those keeping score at home, is in the Play Store now and should come to users as an OTA update over the course of the next few days.

The new toggle is in the Settings of the app and is shows as “Allow external devices to start playback”.  If you disable this, when you connect your phone to a Bluetooth device, it will not start automatically playing music.  This is particularly handy when it comes to connecting your phone to your car’s Bluetooth as it won’t just start blaring music.

Apple’s music app for Android, Apple Music, has a new update rolling out that brings several new features and enhancements.  Perhaps the most interesting of these is support for Google Assistant in the app.  Now you can use the “OK Google” command to open the app and stream music from it much like you can Google Play Music.

There is also a new widget for the app that will allow you to see your recently played songs which also has the ability to play music from your home screen.