The beta version of the Google Android app received a new update on Wednesday, bringing its version number to 7.13. On the user-facing side of things, there isn’t a lot of new additions to be seen here; the per-device notification toggle found in the Google Assistant Settings menu is now part of the package after months of testing and the hamburger menu hides several new icons, one of which replaced Google’s magic wand denoting the “Customize” menu, as seen in the screenshots below. Finally, the company’s digital companion is now also capable of recognizing and differentiating between more devices, with the service now being updated with support for Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks and Android TV offerings.
There’s still no word on when the aforementioned novelties are to make their way to the stable version of the Google app, though the wait shouldn’t be too long. If you want to get your hands on them as quickly as possible, you’re free to download the experimental build of the service which is open to anyone who enrolls in Google’s beta program; refer to the banner below to sign up for the test and then simply update your app like you normally would from the Google Play Store. Leaving the beta program can be done via the same link in case the latest build ends up being too unstable for normal use on your end.
The Google app beta version 7.13 also includes some hints as to what consumers can expect from the mobile tool going forward, as suggested by an APK teardown performed by Android Police. One notable addition seemingly coming to the platform in the future is support for child accounts which will obviously be limited in terms of actions they can trigger, in addition to requiring parental consent during the setup process. Some additional commuting capabilities also found their way to the app which should now be able to anticipate that you don’t have a single favorite mode of transportation and instead opt for different options depending on your destination. Finally, Pixel Buds support is also part of the 7.13 beta package, confirming that the upcoming wireless earbuds will be able to detect when you take them out of your ears and momentarily pause music playback.
Google App Beta Program
