Now On Tap
Google’s Now On Tap will help you get quick contextual information anywhere on the phone. Google is working to make Google Now a little more smarter in the upcoming Android M release. With Now On Tap, you can simply tap and hold home button for assistance without having to leave what you’re doing. For example, if your friend emails you about seeing the movie Tomorrowland, you can invoke Google Now without leaving your app, to quickly see the ratings, watch a trailer or even buy tickets.
Android Pay
Android Pay will take place of Google wallet. It will come pre-installed on Android 4.4+ devices & will be supported on devices with NFC running Android Kitkat and above. Android will enable users to simply and securely use their phone to pay in stores and in thousands of Android Pay partner apps including McDonald’s and Macy’s. Just Like Apple’s touch ID, Fingerprint Scanner is provided to scan user’s fingerprint for Identity verification. Android Pay will be launched along with Android M later this year.
Brillo
Brillo extends the android platform to all your connected devices, so they are easy to set up and work seamlessly with each other and your smartphone. By using communication protocol Weave, it helps developers build connected devices to work across the Internet of Things. Weave provides a core set of schemas that will enable apps and devices to seamlessly interact with each other. Brillo is based on the lower levels of Android, one can choose from a wide range of hardware platforms and silicon vendors.The platform is set to launch later this year.
Offline Maps
Users can search for locations and receive turn-by-turn directions without the need for an internet connection using Google’s Offline Maps. Also, one can read reviews on nearby restaurants and landmarks.
HBO NOW – Coming To Android
HBO NOW, the streaming-only service is coming to Android & Chromecast this summer. Google executive Sundar Pichai mentioned that it will be in time for the upcoming True Detective season. HBO conformed that HBO Now and HBO Go are both coming to Android soon. The release date is not yet confirmed but this marks the end of Apple’s exclusive streaming window.
Google Photos
Google Photos app will back up an unlimited number of photos (up to 16MP) and videos (up to 1080p) for free. The app will organize photos as a timeline and group them together by locations, people, date and allows you to share large number of pictures with anybody through a link. There are new interface tools for making collages and movies out of them.
Android Wear
Google added some powerful apps like Uber, Foursquare, and Citymapper to its Android wear smartwatch. Google also added an Always On feature which will keep the watch always on. For instance, if you’re navigating with google maps, directions will stay on the screen. One can flick their wrist to skip pages or to see next text message. New app launcher has been designed to make appd load faster and easier. One can draw pictures as it has the ability to recognize drawings and turn them into emoji.
Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard SDK, Google’s virtual reality project, is now available for iOS for the first time. It can fit phones as large as six inches. Google has also launched Expeditions, a virtual reality education tool. In its new version Google has replaced the magnet controller with a cardboard button that will work with every phone.
Google Jump
Google partnered with GoPro to build a circular 16-camera rig to capture a 3D 360 degree view of the environment. It will be made available this summer to a ‘select few’ people, Google said. The assembler will figure out depth data from the different images & stitch them together into a stereoscopic VR video. Demonstration of Jump is coming to YouTube in next few months.