#Apps #Messages
Google Messages will soon let users have the ability to disable pinch to zoom text size
9To5Google

Google Messages is one the messaging client to implement pinch to zoom text size feature, but some may find it annoying it with it, hence Google is preparing a toggle to let users disable the feature.

Once disabled the toggle, Google Messages followed your instructions and won't zoom in the text anymore when you pinch the screen. Also the app will remember the text size you're currently on. so once you are satisfied with it, you can go ahead and disable the toggle to lock in the current size you've chosen.

The toggle seems to be rolling out via server side with the app version 20220121 beta.

Download (20220121 beta):
Play Store

#Chrome
Mute tabs with a single click on Google Chrome is now possible
9To5Google

It had be nice to mute tabs with a single click and Google has finally decided to implement such feature into Chrome.

When a tab is playing audio, you can identify it by finding the tab which displays a speaker icon. Soon Google could let users muting it instantly after pressing on the speaker icon, which is much more convenient to do (via Chrome Story & u/Leopeva).

The feature is currently live in Chrome Canary and require enabling chrome://flags/#enable-tab-audio-muting flag. Hopefully Google doesn't remove the feature when it reaches stable branch as it is very neat & useful.

#Workspace
G Suite legacy free edition users can opt for switching to personal Gmail address for free
9To5Google

Earlier it is hinted that Google is preparing free replacement option for those who use G Suite legacy edition only for personal and non-business uses. Now we have a much more clearer definition on what Google could be preparing.

First spotted by Ars Technica, Google has quietly added some more information over in their support page. They mentioned that they will be providing option to let users "move your non-Google Workspace paid content and most of your data to a no-cost option." Premium features like custom email and multi-account management won't be there after the migration is complete.

Google seems to be telling that they will be transfering your data over to, probably a regular personal Gmail address (@gmail.com). Affected users can “evaluate this option prior to July 1, 2022 and prior to account suspension.”

#News #A12L
Android 12L Beta 2 is now available for Lenovo Tab P12 Pro
9To5Google

Android 12L Beta has been released a few weeks ago for Pixel phones, and now it is finally releasing for Lenovo Tab P12 Pro.

Lenovo and Google partnered up earlier to bring Android 12L Developer Preview 1 over to the tablet. If you own it, you can download the firmware images over at Lenovo developer site. This update brings in December 2021 security patch, and some minor fixes & improvements from Android 12L Beta 2 itself.

#Apps #Translate #MY
Google Translate Material You redesign is now rolling out to all Android devices
XDA Developers | Previous post

A few months ago, Google has rolled out Material You redesign of the Translate app to older Pixel devices, and by today, it has widely roll out to all Android devices.

As long as you have an Android device running Android 6 or later and installed the latest version of Google Translate app, you will get to see the new Material You redesign. With Android 12, it will change the accent color according to your device wallpaper.

Download (6.28):
Play Store | APKMirror

#Chrome
Chrome for Android will soon warn you whether to close all tabs
XDA Developers

You can easily close all open tabs in Chrome on your Android phone by tapping on the overflow menu and select "Close all tabs," but there could be chances you pressed on it by accident.

To prevent users from closing everything they have opened, Techdows discovered that Google has added “Close all tabs modal dialog” flag (chrome://flags/#close-all-tabs=modal-dialog), which will popup a warning dialog when you are planning to close all tabs at a time. The warning dialog will give you option to cancel the operation and let you proceed to close all tabs. Once confirmed, the browser will close everything and quit. Reopening will open a new tab automatically for you.

The flag is only recently added to the Chrome Canary channel, it might take a few months before it reached the stable channel.

#YTMusic
YouTube Music for Android new 'Add to playlist' UI could be inspired from the web version
9To5Google

YouTube Music app for Android is set to gain new "Add to playlist" UI which is similar to the web version.

The new redesign "Add to playlist" UI show the Recent section in a carousel format, it displays how many songs are there in each playlist which previously the current menu doesn't. All playlists section still show in a list but now it show the artwork and tracks amount, which is much easier to identify.

Currently, the new UI isn't widely rolled out and there are still several bugs as reported by user.

#Google #EasterEgg
Google Search add Chinese New Year Easter Egg, celebrating the Year of the Tiger
9To5Google

2022 Chinese New Year is around the corner, and Google Search is already ready to celebrate it.

Searching any query that are related to the celebration like Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, Tiger zodiac... will show you the Easter Egg. There will be fireworks effect which show a tiger face and later faded away.

The Easter Egg might be only available during the celebration of Chinese New Year, so do go give it a look before it disappear.

#Apps #Gboard
Gboard's Emoji Sticker now support creating unique sticker with tiger emoji
9To5Google

2022 is the Year of the Tiger, as Chinese New Year is around the corner, besides adding Easter Egg in Search, Google has also now supports creating sticker of tiger emoji combination with Emoji Kitchen.

There a ton of combinations you could do, you can create a "tiger king," tiger wearing sunglasses or probably a "tiger cowboy," and the list goes on.

The tiger emoji is now supported in the Emoji Kitchen with the Gboard app version 11.3. The update also bring in minor UI update for your information.

Download (11.3):
Play Store | APKMirror

#News #Android
Job listing suggests Google thinks that tablets are the future
Android Authority

Google is now really focusing in the tablet market, as they introduced Android 12L to the public. Now a further evidence shows that Google really want to dominate the tablet market.

A job listing for “Senior Engineering Manager, Android Tablet App Experience,” mentions the following:
We believe that the future of computing is shifting towards more powerful and capable tablets. We are working to deliver the next chapter of computing and input by launching seamless support across our platforms and hero experiences that unlock new and better ways of being productive and creative.

The listing doesn't really hint Google will be releasing a new tablet, but they want their employees to partner up with OEMs and make a great Android tablet. At this point, Google seems to have understand if they want Android tablets to be successful, they need to provide support to other OEMs.

Attention! There has been some small ban waves from Google on those account who uses spoofing system props to get Google Photos unlimited storage. Please use it with cautions.
Most confirmed that the ban will be removed if all Gphotos clients currently active with your Google account report back to their servers your real device information.
Note: I cannot confirm this issue for now. I did the fix but as written on XDA post: I do not recommend everyone to joy around the spoofing.
By wello

if you're using pixelify or any other modules like that, remove it immediately.
if you're on pe or other roms that spoof any pixel, uninstall google photos for the time being.

this is a screenshot from someone using pixel experience 12 getting their google account disabled. i recommend playing it safe and removing it until further notice

Hope this New Year will bring bundles of joy and good luck in your life.

Happy Chinese New Year, get enough courage as it's the year of Tiger.

#News #Photos #Pixel #Pixel3
Google Photos unlimited original quality backup exclusively available on Pixel 1, as Pixel 3 loses its perk today
When Google first introduced their first ever Pixel, they show it out by bringing in some special perks to the phone, one of it being Google Photos unlimited original quality backup, at the time other Android devices can only backup in compressed quality for free, but that doesn't seem to be a big deal if we compared it to today's situation.

Since the Pixel 3a, Google no longer offered original quality backup for free, instead they only advertised the phone will only get unlimited backup in high (Storage Saver) quality for free, all the way until the release of Pixel 5. As of June 2021, they ended the perk of unlimited backup in high quality for all other Android phones. Pixel 5a and later on, we saw Google just stopped offering unlimited backup for Google Photos,

The release of Pixel 2 & Pixel 3 has some special condition with the perk though. Pixel 2 once used to have unlimited original quality until January 16, 2021. As of today, Pixel 3 is also losing the perk as it reached the expiration data of January 31, 2022, leaving only the first generation Pixel to continue enjoying the perk, while Pixel 2~5 continue to enjoy a cut down perk of unlimited backup in high quality.

Follow @PixelHubUpdates

#News
WhatsApp might get limited amount of Google Drive storage backup
WaBetaInfo

More than 2 billions people around the world are using WhatsApp to communicate with their friends, classmates, employees... you name it. WhatsApp doesn't store any of your message content on their servers, so if you want all your old messages to appear on your newly switched device, you will need to backup and restore it. WhatsApp have partnered with Google and Apple to backup messages over in cloud storage, at first only Apple limited the storage amount you can backup, but it seems like Google could be taking the same approach soon.

As spotted by WaBetaInfo, in a teardown of the WhatsApp for Android application, there is strings which mentioned about the Google Drive changes. The warning message will tell users how many storage are left for backing up their WhatsApp messages and medias. It is believed that Google might prepared 2GB free storage for this, but this isn't confirmed yet, so take it as a grain of salt.

#Workspace #Gmail
Gmail desktop web overhaul redesign is arriving soon
Google Workspace Updates

Announced back in June 2021, Google is ready to release the new experience of Gmail web version to the public starting next week.

Google said that this new redesign will make it easier to switch between services in one place. On the left sidebar, it will features Mail, Chats, Space and Meet section, with Material You alike pill-shaped design. The whole page is using blue accent color instead of red, with UI elements getting rounded corners.The column next to it shows stuff that are specific to the service, like the Mail section will show "the full array of Mail and Label options." You will also get results of email and chat with the top search bar.

The new experience of Gmail will start rolling out in February 8, later become the default experience for everyone in April, and lastly the old experience will be deprecated by Q2 2022. This is rolling out to most Workspace tier except Workspace Essentials.

#Pixel4a
Google Pixel 4a no longer selling in Google Store
9To5Google

Pixel 4a is made available in a lot of regions, including India, which is the latest Pixel available in the region officially. Just today, Google has removed Pixel 4a from their store listing.

Google didn't stop selling it after the Pixel 5a launch, as you might know, it is only selling officially in Japan and US. The Pixel 4a is selling for only $349 in the US, and for this price, you're getting superb camera and other Pixel goodies. It's out of stock in the region for months, and Google hinted users that Pixel 5a with 5G is available before they removed the product page.

Pixel 4a comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It also comes with 5.8' AMOLED display, and it is compact in size. If you are the kind of person who don't care too much about gaming, the phone is actually a pretty good deal. With that being said, you can still buy the phone via trusted third-party sellers.