Google on
Wednesday released a new standalone Messenger app on Google Play with
Material Design and all new features that were missing from its stock
SMS app, called Messaging in some iterations. The company has also
started to roll out the Material Design update to the Google Search app
along with new reminder features and the ability to search within an app
using the 'Ok Google' voice command.
The Messenger app that comes
pre-installed on Android 5.0 Lollipop can now be downloaded for devices
running Android 4.1 and higher from Google
Play.
The app essentially works as standalone messaging app only, unlike
Hangouts. It allows users to send and receive SMS and MMS (audio, video,
pictures) messages. Just like the stock SMS app, Messenger also lets
users search through contacts and conversation threads.
(Also See: Android 5.0 Lollipop Review: A Sweet Upgrade)
Apart from
the new Material Design theme, the new Messenger app has brought a few
new features that distinguish it from the stock SMS app and Hangouts.
The app gives users more control with the new block feature that was
missing in the SMS app. It also includes support for audio messages,
emoticons, coloured text threads, message archiving and more. Notably,
Google had replaced
the stock SMS app with Hangouts in Android 4.4 KitKat.
On
Wednesday, Google also announced that it is rolling out the Material
Design update to its Search app, which we had earlier
seen
in testing last month. The updated Search lets users search within apps
using 'Ok Google' voice command. Recently, Google was
encouraging
third-party app developers to integrate this 'Ok, Google' voice command
for their in-app searches as well.
"Google can now help you
search for exactly what you need-even if it's in another app. With a
simple prompt like Ok Google, search Tumblr for 'Things Organized
Neatly', Google will take you right into the app. This now works with a
number of apps, so you can also research the best Maui hotels on
TripAdvisor, listen to your jam on TuneIn, find a dream home on Trulia,
or get tips on how to carve a turkey on YouTube - right from the Google
app,"
notes
the company in its blog post.
The updated Search app also allows
users to flip a coin using "Google, flip a coin" voice command and it
does that. Google Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 users can
also set up 'Ok Google' voice command even the device is asleep, just
like the Moto X.
Apart from the new features, the Google Search
app update brings it in-line with the Material Design philosophy of
Android 5.0 Lollipop. It features bold colours and smoother paper-like
animations, along with the simplified layouts for Google Now cards which
can also take notes from emails and will prompt to add an event to
Calendar.
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