Version 103 of Chrome is rolling out this week, and Google is highlighting several new features on iPhone and iPad that span usability and security.
Expand Expanding Close
In recent months, Google has been publicly pressuring Apple to adopt RCS on the iPhone, and its latest volley involves an “unofficial lyric explainer video” for “Texts Go Green” from Drake’s new album.
Expand Expanding Close
Every year when Google and Apple come out with their latest OS updates, there are always features that were inspired by each other. Whether it’s a new customization feature, design, or accessibility, someone always did it first. Here are the five biggest iOS 16 features that Google did first and Android phones can do right now.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple’s ecosystem is famously fairly locked down, but things have improved a lot over the past few years. With the upcoming release of iOS 16, Apple appears to be working towards better support for Chromecast and other casting standards in apps.
Expand Expanding Close
Almost two years after it hit Android, the Google TV app is finally coming to iOS for iPhone and iPad users.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple doesn’t offer truly individualized customization of its products or interfaces to its users, and if anyone wants to customize the look of their Apple products – specifically their home screens – they’re in for A Time. With iOS 16 coming in September, there’s an opportunity for Apple to give consumers needed autonomy.
Expand Expanding Close
As previewed last month, Google Chat on iOS will let you set which contacts can reach you in Focus mode. This applies to the dedicated Chat app and the integrated experience available in Gmail.
Expand Expanding Close
This weekend, YouTube removed the long-running experiment that allowed iPhone and iPad users to keep watching videos in picture-in-picture mode. Now, YouTube has confirmed that its iOS app is in the process of rolling out picture-in-picture support to everyone on iOS 15 and up.
Expand Expanding Close
YouTube started officially rolling out Picture-in-Picture to the iOS app last June and it’s been a very slow process. Premium subscribers were given a workaround, but YouTube’s PiP test for iPhone and iPad has now ended.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Maps is rolling out a trio of big updates over the coming weeks that add toll estimates and improve the navigation experience with a new map, while the iOS app is getting a series of additional integrations.
Expand Expanding Close
As promised in February, YouTube TV is rolling out picture-in-picture (PiP) to its iPhone and iPad app. It comes as the main YouTube for iOS client is still only previewing an identical capability.
Expand Expanding Close
In the coming weeks, Google Chat will replace classic Hangouts for Workspace customers. As part of this, Google said it would disable the old Hangouts mobile apps, and that looks to be underway with the iPhone app now removed from the App Store.
Expand Expanding Close
Recently, Google added the ability for users on mobile to delete the last 15 minutes of their Google search history with one single tap. This guide will take you through how exactly you can do this on your device.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s upcoming “Switch to Android” app for iOS may be able to import data from your iCloud directly into Google Photos.
Expand Expanding Close
Following Gmail at the start of this year, Google Drive is the latest iOS app to get new work-focused widgets, while there are also updates for Translate and Chat on iOS in the coming weeks.
Expand Expanding Close
In late 2020, Google introduced a VPN for its Google One subscription that provides additional Drive/Photos storage, extended support, and other perks. After initially being Android-only, the Google One VPN is now launching on iOS.
Expand Expanding Close
Following Android, Google Home for iOS is now starting to roll out the ability to remote control your Chromecast with Google TV from your phone. Version 2.48 also makes tweaks to Google Wifi stats and graphs.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s YouTube TV service, despite its high price, is one of the best ways to keep live channels without traditional cable. Now, in an interview, a YouTube TV exec has confirmed that picture-in-picture support is coming to iOS and surround sound will see expanded support too.
Expand Expanding Close
Fortnite is still a massive hit, but Epic Games’ war on app stores has left the popular game absent from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store for a long time, with no signs of returning. Today, Nvidia and Epic Games have announced that touch controls are coming to Fortnite on GeForce Now.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is rolling out a trio of productivity updates to its iPhone and iPad productivity apps. Notably, Gmail will get a homescreen widget, while iOS Picture-in-Picture is now available for Google Meet.
Expand Expanding Close
While many iOS users default to Safari for their browsing needs, Google Chrome is ready for cross-platform syncing and more. However, an update rolling out over the past few days is causing issues for Google Chrome users on iOS that result in the app freezing entirely.
Expand Expanding Close
After launching a beta test in recent weeks, Epic Games and Psyonix are now launching the mobile version of Rocket League, “Sideswipe,” on Android and iOS devices across the globe.
Expand Expanding Close
With last year’s Pixel phones, Google introduced new machine learning-powered editing tools that later came to all Android devices with Google One. iOS users with a One subscription now have access to those new filters in Google Photos.
Expand Expanding Close
Officially, watching Google’s cord-cutting service on the web requires Chrome or Firefox, while Chromium-based browsers — like Microsoft Edge — also work. In recent days, YouTube TV has rolled out support for Safari on macOS.
Expand Expanding Close