Google has announced a handful of new features for the iOS/iPadOS version of its apps, and they are better in comparison than what is available on Android. Several Google apps are available on iOS such as Gmail, Drive, Chrome, Maps, Gboard, and even Google Assistant. On the other hand, Apple has only three Android apps, one of which is a tool to transfer your data from Android to an iPhone or iPad.
There are millions of apps available for Android tablets but only a small fraction of them are designed to make the best use of the large screen on a tablet or foldable. Several of Google's own apps are guilty of this with the exception of apps like Gmail, which has a two-column view on large-screen devices, and YouTube, which shows recommendations or comments on the right while playing a video.
The iOS apps that are getting new features include Google Translate, Drive, Gmail, and Chat. The Translate app has got a new widget that includes shortcuts to camera, conversation, and transcribe, putting its main features in easier reach. There is also a bar at the top with icons for the clipboard and microphone, so users can easily paste copied text or audio that needs to be translated. In contrast, the Google Translate Widget on Android is much smaller and only allows users to choose one translation tool (camera, conversation, handwriting, or text).
The Google Drive app is receiving a new widget with an XL size that makes it easy to access useful tools and files. The widget has a two-column view along with a search bar and shortcuts for priority files, shared drives, and uploads. Google says that the XL widget is specifically designed for the iPad and will begin to roll out soon. Three other widget sizes are available to allow users to customize which features they want to display. The Google Drive app for Android has four different widgets and they are all the same, and regardless of whether the device is a smartphone or a tablet. Google is also adding a new feature to the Gmail and Chat apps that adds a sender's profile photo to notifications from both apps. It says this should help users quickly know who has sent a mail or message. Users will also be able to choose which contacts they want notifications from when Focus is turned on. These Gmail and Chat features will be available later this month.
Although Google seems to have renewed its focus on Android tablets, it doesn't seem to be doing quite as much to improve the experience of its apps on tablets and foldables. The launch of Android 12L is its biggest attempt at improving the Android experience on large-screen devices, but there's been no word on whether any Google apps will be gaining new features to take advantage of the extra screen estate.
Source: Google
