App Updates

Google Maps gains 3D Touch place previews

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 27, 2017

Last week, I whined about Google dragging its feet when it comes to implementing support for important iOS features, like 3D Touch, in apps such as Gmail. Other iPhone and iPad apps from Google have been more aggressive in adopting 3D Touch features, including Maps. In the latest update, Google Maps was bumped to version 4.28 and now allows users who have an iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus to press places on the map to get quicker access to popular actions.

Gboard gains voice typing, Google Doodles, new languages & iOS 10 emoji in latest update

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 23, 2017

Gboard, Google's iPhone keyboard that comes with Google Search, glide typing, GIFs, emojis and other advanced features built in, received a notable refresh on App Store. Bumped to version 1.3, Gboard includes support for fifteen new languages and brings a useful dictation feature that Google is calling Voice Typing. Additionally, you can now see a day’s Google Doodle right from the keyboard and enjoy Apple's latest iOS 10 emoji.

17 months later, Gmail gains a single 3D Touch shortcut

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2017

Google today refreshed its mobile Gmail app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch on App Store, adding very limited 3D Touch support nearly a year and a half after Apple first brought pressure sensing to iPhone's display with the September 2015 release of iPhone 6s.

Owners of the iPhone 6s/7 series can now press Gmail's icon to quickly compose a message, but that's about it. Thank you, Google, but seriously?

In my view, Google doesn't really have a clue how to properly build 3D Touch gestures into Gmail in a manner that would save users time and boost their productivity.

The app still lacks Peek and Pop gestures., but we'll get those next year, right?

You can now share multiple photos and videos in one Instagram post

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2017

Photo-sharing service Instagram announced today that users are now able to share up to ten photos and videos in a single post and swipe through to see them all. Such multi-item posts are presented inline in your feed in a carousel format that displays only the first item of the post.

The first photo or video shows a new icon, denoting there’s more to see. Simply swipe to reveal additional media.

You can adjust the order in which your photos and videos appear, edit them one by one or apply a filter to everything at once. Instagram 10.9 for iOS is required for this functionality.

Google’s dedicated search app gains filters for local results, Gboard & enhanced AMP support

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 17, 2017

Google's dedicated search app was updated this morning on App Store with a trio of nice-to-haves. For starters, you can now easily filter your local search results for museums, coffee shops, restaurants and other places of interest. With an expanded support for Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), more webpages will now load instantly within the app. AMP-optimized webpages are denoted on search results with a lightning bolt icon. Lastly, you can now use Google's gesture-driven Gboard keyboard in the mobile search app.

You’ll soon be able to apply for a job in Facebook’s mobile app and on the web

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 16, 2017

Facebook on Thursday announced it's rolling out a new Jobs section on the mobile app and via the web interface at facebook.com/jobs. This new feature will allow users to find and apply for hourly-paid job openings advertised on the service by small businesses in the United States and Canada.

Designed for lower-skilled workers and people who aren’t actively looking for a job, the new section is currently in limited testing in the US. Job posts will be accessible through News Feed via a dedicated Jobs tab and promoted on the business' Facebook Page.

Google Maps for iOS updated with shareable lists of your favorite places

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 13, 2017

Following its most recent update which brought out the ability to track how busy places are in real-time, Google today announced a new Lists feature on Google Maps for iOS that lets you keep track of your favorite places and easily share them with friends.

Beginning today, users are permitted to create custom lists of places, share their lists with others and follow the lists their friends and family share with them, all without leaving the Google Maps app.

Flibpoard 4.0 brings personalized Smart Magazines & more streamlined experience

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 8, 2017

Remember Flipboard, an iPhone and iPad app originally conceived as a news reader before it got rebranded as your social news magazine? If you still care about the app, you'll be pleased to learn they just announced a major new version with a more streamlined experience and personalized Smart Magazines tailored to your interest. Flibpoard users have created more than 30 million magazines since the app's inception in 2010.

The mobile Flipboard app currently includes news content and articles from thousands of publishers scattered across tens of thousands of different topics.

Valentine’s Day event for trainers in Pokémon GO is kicking off today through next week

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 8, 2017

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, developer Niantic Labs today announced that a special Valentine's Day-themed event is available in Pokémon GO beginning today, February 8 at 11am PT / 2pm ET and running through February 15.

During this special in-game promotion, players will be treated to double the amount of candy every time they catch, hatch and transfer Pokémon. Plus, their Buddy Pokémon will find candy twice as fast.

As Facebook turns 13 tomorrow, Discover People starts rolling out in mobile app

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 3, 2017

This Saturday, February 4, Facebook turns 13, a day the company calls Friends Day. In launching products to celebrate friendship and encouraging people to take time to connect with their friends, Facebook recently began adding personalized Friends Day videos at the top of users' News Feed. Additionally, Facebook is now rolling out a new Discover People section in its mobile app for iOS and Android.

As first noted by TechCrunch, Discover People basically encourages Facebook users to add any missing pieces of information to their profile, browse a list of upcoming events to see who else may also be going, check out people in their city they're not yet friends with or browse people who share the same employer.

In Snapchat, you can now create Snapcodes that launch websites

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 2, 2017

Snapchat's mobile application was updated on App Store this morning with a new feature that allows business accounts and individual users to create a Snapcode for any website. When you friends snap your QR code, they'll see an option to open the website inside Snapchat for iPhone. Snapcodes require Snapchat 10.1 for iOS, a free download from App Store. Oh, and Snapchat's parent company just filed for an IPO with the SEC, as per The Wall Street Journal.

Snapseed now gives you precise control over brightness levels and colors

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 2, 2017

Earlier this week, Google's free image-editing app Snapseed was refreshed with a new tool for adjusting brightness and color levels precisely. A pair of under-the-hood tweaks is included, too. Snapseed is part of my iPhone photography toolkit and while I'm fond of its simplicity, I wish I could say the same for the app's imprecise slider-based controls.

With Snapseed 2.15 for iPhone and iPad, adding drama to your photos has become a lot easier than before.

That's because the new curve-based editing gives you precise control over things like contrast, brightness and color intensity in a given image.