Google’s annual developer conference just kicked off this week and as expected the main focus of this year’s keynote is on mobile. As it turns out, the search giant is intending to keep its foot hold in the mobile industry by bolstering its Android operating system with features that goes beyond what smartphones from two or three years back are capable of.

ANDROID M

Slated as the next version of the company’s highly successful mobile operating system, Android M seems to be an update that focuses on functionality and features over looks and aesthetics.

In terms of design, Android M is mostly a few notch ahead of the current version of Android – Lollipop. The most noticeable change would be in the launcher, specifically in the arrangement of the app drawer. Instead of the usual horizontal carousel, apps are now arranged in a vertical list with the most used apps sitting at the top. Moreover, app widgets are now grouped into sections which can be horizontally scrolled in cases where the widget has different sizes.

Google is also giving users the option to either have a dark or light theme. However, this setting only applies to certain context menus and we’re not sure if Google plans to apply it as a universal feature.

Now on to the juicy bits. One of the most talked about new feature in Android M is its ability to grant or restrict app permissions. That means users can now select which apps can have access to their personal information thus improving security. Google has also built a memory management feature within the operating system so users won’t need to download third party apps to keep their apps’ memory usage in check.

Lastly, Android M now features the ability to customize the quick settings panel in the notifications area. It’s not a major update but users can now at the very least select which toggles to put on the quick settings panel of their phones.

ANDROID PAY

Apple already has Apple Pay so naturally, Google has to come up with its own payment platform for Android. That’s why we now have Android Pay. It’s pretty much the same as Google Wallet and uses NFC to make payments to merchants. 

Google has made a new app with a simpler interface that should allow users to either pay for items using their credits stored in their account whenever they tap their phone into an NFC-enabled POS (point-of-sale) terminal. Online retailers can also take advantage of the feature by incorporating it into their apps for easy in-app purchases.

The system stores user information including shipping details and if the merchant offers a loyalty card, details about current points on the loyalty card are also automatically updated after the purchase has been made.

GOOGLE NOW on TAP

Finally, there’s Google Now on Tap. It’s an update to the company’s AI, extending its functionality to other apps. The feature should allow Google to identify possible informational needs the user may have, well before they even know they need it by collecting data about their habits and usage and searching the web for related information.

Google Now on Tap will allow Android to identify cast members inside movies users watch on YouTube or Google Movies, defining words tapped on Google Chrome or checking Artist names and song titles from Spotify.

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Developments in Google Glass are probably one of the most anticipated announcements in this year’s Google I/O developer conference. Fortunately, Google didn’t disappoint as the event debuted several apps that make the company’s HUD more practical to use.

Apps that made the leap to Glass include Facebook, Twitter and Evernote. First on the list is the Facebook app for Glass which lets users to share photos straight from the Glass to the social network. Tagging isn’t functional yet but tags can be added later on via a mobile device or computer once the images have been uploaded to the network.

Meanwhile Twitter is also announcing its own app for Google Glass. Just like the Facebook app, users will be able to share photos using glass. Users are also able to receive notifications of mentions, direct messages and tweets straight from the network. Favourites, replies and retweets are also available within the app.

Then there’s Evernote, where in users can send a Glass-captured photo or short video to a user’s account from within the Glass sharing menu. Users can also choose a note from Evernote Web and send it directly to the Glass timeline.

Other apps scheduled to hit Glass (which the company refers to as “Glassware”)include CNN, Tumblr, Path and The New York Times.

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In a surprise move yesterday by Google, the company announced its own version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that runs on stock Android.

The new Galaxy S4 by Google will have almost the same specs sheet as the original S4 by Samsung which include support for LTE and Qualcomm chipset but of course will do away with TouchWiz UI. The Google version of the S4 will also probably won’t have the numerous S-type and Smart apps that Samsung has generously packed into its flagship phone.

With the stock version of Android in the Google Galaxy S4, the device also has an unlocked boot loader that provides additional flexibility to modders and developers who want to customize the phone as much as they can. Moreover, having the same version of Android that goes into the company’s Nexus devices will allow Google’s version of the S4 to receive the future Android updates the same time as other Nexus devices.

The Google Galaxy S4 will be available soon only on Google Play Store but will work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. for around $649.

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It seems Google is really serious in expanding its portfolio by offering new products that targets specific market segments. This time Google is trying to take a chunk off of the education industry with Google Play for Education.

Google Play for Education is a specialized app store with content specifically designed for students and teachers. The new app store was introduced yesterday at Google I/O by Android’s Director of Engineering Chris Yerga in San Francisco, California.

The app will allow educators to bulk purchase application licenses and easily distribute them to their students. The specialized app store is in line with the company’s goals to put an Android tablet in the classroom – an area currently dominated by Apple.

Google Play for Education will launch sometime in Q3 2013 but developers can already begin submitting education apps immediately through a dedicated developer website.

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Google isn’t really the brand you’ll think of whenever someone mentions the word messaging. But the California-based search giant is planning to change all that with the introduction of its newest messaging app – Google Hangouts.

The app was previously rumoured as Google Babel and will now replace majority of the company’s existing messaging apps including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger and the original Google Hangouts app. The app will be able to let users to start a live video conversation with up to 10 friends that combines text, photos and video.

Users will be able to take a conversation from device to device and will remain in the same list format. There’s also a Hangouts history that allows users to swipe back to older conversations. Then there’s also the new one time notification feature that reduces the amount of redundant notifications when connected to multiple devices.

The app is now available for Android, iOS and Google Chrome.

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Google also announced an update to Google Maps today at its annual developer conference in San Francisco. The announcement was made by Google Maps Director Daniel Graf in the event’s keynote alongside other Google products and services.

Changes to Google Maps basically revolve around a more intuitive user interface and an improved system of recommendations such as an improved 5-star rating system for businesses and Zagat listing integration.

There are also new features that cater specifically to drivers and travellers. There’s a new notification system that alerts drivers to incidents on the road and reroute them in real time to avoid traffic jams.

Moreover, the new Google Maps will soon provide smarter recommendations to users including comparison of available public transit in the area which is presented in a very intuitive and informative way. It can also highlight driving routes directly on the map that might be useful for the user at the same time dimming those routes which are unlikely to be useful.

Google Earth is also fully integrated with the new maps which is most useful when zooming in a particular area. And with WebGL support, the new Google maps provide a faster and more fluid experience. The map is currently in its preview stage and users can already sign up using this link.

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Google has also introduced a music subscription service today by the name of Google Play Music All Access (it’s quite a mouthful right?). The new service was introduced by Chris Yerga – Android’s engineering director in Google I/O this morning in San Francisco.

The service will include music recommendations made by automatic algorithms or specially curated recommendations and playlists. Through these recommendations, users can practically create a radio station based on any artist or song, then browse similar artists or titles provided by Google.

The service will also make it easy for users to select which songs they want or not. Users can just swipe away unwanted tracks making it very convenient to arrange and build playlists. Moreover, subscribers will be able to store up to 20,000 songs for free in Google’s cloud and listen to them together with Google’s own catalogue.

The service was leaked ahead of Google I/O through a report from The Verge yesterday. According to the report, Google has already signed several licensing deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group in preparation for the launch of Google Play Music.

Google Play Music All Access includes a library, radio, and a “listen now” feature and will be available for $9.99 a month to US customers starting today. Users will also get a 30-day free trial and those who will sign up before June 30 will get a discounted price of $7.99 a month for the service.

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