Download: Google Play Services With Nearby In Quick Settings

Google has many new services, features, apps and otherwise, that add value in new and novel ways. One of those which does have the potential to be quite the game changer is Nearby. For those new to Nearby, this is a Google service which essentially looks to connect an Android device with the world around it. Making use of various forms of unseen connections (Bluetooth and so on), devices are able to connect and somewhat interact with the world. This is in the form of messages or notifications sent to a device using Nearby, app suggestions based on your location, or simply connecting Nearby devices to each other. Regardless of the content, the simple premise is for devices to engage with aspects that are nearby.

This was a service which has been progressively rolling out of late and if you are someone who often accesses the Nearby settings on your smartphone, then you will likely be aware of the various clicks that are needed to reach those settings. This is where the latest update to the Google Play Services comes to the rescue. Google Play Services version 9.6 offers faster access to those settings by including a quick access tile which can be nominated as one your quick settings. Once done and when clicked, and as if by magic, you will be hot-footed over to the ‘Nearby Discoveries’ page which is normally found under the Nearby settings menu.

Although, this is not something that is not accessible to all at the moment. While the feature does seem to be included in the latest version of Google Play Services, it will require you to be using a device running Android 7.0 (Nougat) to make use of it. This is because you will need to be able to manually add the quick settings tile to your quick settings and this is only achievable on Nougat. That said, if you do reach all the requirements and would like to be running this latest version of Google Play Services, you can grab a copy of the APK through the link below. Although do keep in mind that you need to install the correct version of Google Play Services for your device. So if you are not on Nougat, best not to try to install the APK. Of course, you can just wait until the update organically makes its way to your device.