Apps
Quick Share adds cool new file transfer progress indicator
Google Quick Share feature on Android has received an exciting update, which adds a progress percentage indicator for ongoing file transfers. This new change enhances the user experience by providing clear visibility into the status of file transfers, mainly for larger files.
Quick Share lets users quickly and wirelessly share photos, videos, and files between Android devices and ChromeOS, as well as with Windows computers. Recent updates to Nearby Connections suggested Quick Share might be available on iOS and macOS devices.
Previously, when someone received a file, they could only see a circular progress indicator, which didn’t provide clear information about the transfer’s progress. Now, with this new update, both Google’s and Samsung’s versions of Quick Share show a percentage during the transfer process.
For small file transfers, like pictures or links, the percentage may not be very noticeable. However, it becomes mainly useful for larger files, such as videos.
This handy progress percentage indicator of Quick Share has been spotted on various devices, including several Pixel phones and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It shows that many Android users can access this feature.
In mid-October 2024, some users noticed the update with new changes. Now, it is more widely available for Android devices.
This is a small change for Quick Share but greatly enhances the usability of the app. Users can now manage their file transfers more easily and feel less uncertain about how long a transfer will take. Overall, Google aims to make Quick Share features more user-friendly.
Google has made a significant change to its Google Photos app by replacing its “Sharing” page with a new “Updates” feed. Back in August 2024, the app changes the “Library” to the “Collections” tab to enhance user experience.
The Updates feed has a new notification bell icon, which is located in place of the Sharing option in the app bar, between the ‘plus’ menu and profile picture. It allows users to see recent sharing updates, including conversations and shared links.
When you click on the bell icon, it opens the “Updates” feed, which lets you access two options including Sharing activity and Conversations in the overflow menu.
The Sharing activity shows all your sharing activity in one place, which makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve shared, along with any shared links and memories. On the other side, the Conversations option displays a list of conversations.
In the old version, users could find sharing options by clicking a ‘people’ icon. The Sharing page had shortcuts for creating shared albums and sharing with partners, along with an “Albums and Memories” section and a list of “Conversations.” Now, all of this has been simplified.
The use of a new bell icon is similar to what you find in other Google apps like Home, the Play Store, and YouTube, which helps make the app feel more familiar and user-friendly.
Right now, the “Updates” feed is being rolled out for Android users, but there’s no news yet on when it will be available for iOS devices.
Google has rolled out the new update for Android Auto with version 13.2, which comes with some exciting updates. It is available on the Google Play Store for Android devices.
Android Auto 13.2 update brings support for more charging connectors, including the NACS (North American Charging Standard) for Tesla cars. Additionally, it introduces two new types of connectors, Type 6 and LECCS (Light Electric Combined Charging System).
LECCS is mainly used for light electric vehicles, like electric scooters. It is designed in India for LEVs like Ather. This suggests that we might see some Android Auto features for scooters in the future.
In addition to LECCS support, the latest Android Auto update improves the experience for electric vehicles by allowing connections to various cars that use NACS. This includes vehicles from brands like Ford, GM, Kia, Volvo, and Rivian. This update shows that Google is making things easier for electric vehicle drivers.
In addition to LECCS support, Android Auto 13.2 improves the experience for electric vehicles by allowing connections to various cars that use NACS. This includes vehicles from brands like Ford, GM, Kia, Volvo, and Rivian.
The fresh update shows that Google is making things easier for electric vehicle drivers. If you’re interested in trying out the new features, you can download the Android Auto 13.2.644404 stable update right now.
Goodbye to Android 8
Android Auto has recently ditched its support for Android 8 phones. It means that if you have a phone running Android 8, you can no longer use Android Auto. While the features work well on older software, the newer versions like Android 9 include better new features and better experience.
Google is making it easier for users to manage sensitive images in the Messages app with a new feature, Sensitive Content Warnings. This feature will protect users from unexpected nudity in the messages they receive. It is expected to be available soon for the Messages app.
Following last month’s announcement, new insights from an APK teardown (via Android Authority) of the latest Google Messages Beta reveal how the upcoming Sensitive Content Warnings feature will work to protect users from unwanted nudity. It will be available on devices running Android 9 and newer, including Android Go devices.
When a photo that might contain sensitive content is sent, it will automatically be blurred. Users will have the option to either view the image or ignore it. Both the sender and the receiver will see warnings about the sensitive content.
These warnings will include reminders and advice like, “The person in this photo may not have agreed to share it with others,” and notifications stating, “You’re seeing this because sensitive content warnings are on.”
Notably, this feature will work on users’ devices without affecting the end-to-end encryption used in RCS chats. For users under 18, the feature will be available as an optional opt-out through Android Settings.
The latest Google Messages beta shows that this new feature is being actively developed and is expected to be rolled out in the coming months.