Image used with permission by copyright holderIt’s been roughly a week since Google announced the launch of Android Go — a pared-down version of Android 8.1 Oreo, designed to run on lower-end devices packing between 1GB and 512MB of RAM. Mostly useful in developing markets like Brazil and India, Android Go is focused on reducing the install size of the operating system to less than half of that of Android 7.0 Nougat, and ensuring that essential services can run on a device with significantly less power than most smartphones running Android 8.0 Oreo.
A big part of this drive is the creation of a number of smaller, “Go-style” Google apps, made to work on lower-end hardware. Essentially pared-down versions of existing Google apps, Google also announced that we should expect more compact versions of Google Maps, YouTube, Google Assistant, and Gmail. Files Go, a slim-line file managing app has already been launched, as has a lightweight search app, Google Go, and now low-end users can access a lightweight maps app with Google Maps Go on the Google Play Store. Google Maps Go gives users the ability to see their location, get directions to a place via car, train or bus, or by walking, and even allows users to add filters to their map to see satellite imagery, public transport, or an overlay of the current traffic.
A comparison between Google Maps Go (left) and Google Maps (right) on the Galaxy S8Image used with permission by copyright holder
The app will only be downloadable for a specific subset of Android smartphones; any device that has less than 1GB of RAM, and is running Android 4.1 or newer. It’s a very specific band of users, and unlike the implementation of Files Go, which was made available as a general file managing app for any Androidsmartphone.
Recommended Videos
Key to the low impact of the app is that it’s not really an app at all — the app icon is a link to a Progressive Web App (PWA) version of Google Maps (as noted by Android Police). PWAs allow users to access apps without downloading them, and this means that they’re extremely low-impact on a device’s resources. It also means you can try out the app for yourself without needing a compatible phone. Simply access this link on your phone or PC, and you should be able to access Google Map Go — it may try to send you to your normal Google Maps app, but you can circumvent that by holding the link and opening it in a new tab.
Google just announced 8 big Android updates. Here’s what’s new
At Moblie World Congress (MWC ) 2024, Google is bringing a healthy bunch of new features to Android. In line with the AI push all across the industry, some notable AI-driven enhancements are on the table. There are also a handful of core Android features that sound practically amazing.
The first in line is Gemini. The generative AI chatbot recently got a standalone app for Android, and now it’s headed for the Google Messages app. Users can chat with Gemini directly in the messaging app and use its generative capabilities for a host of things, like drafting replies, refining a message, and more.
Another feature that was showcased a while ago is finally ready for prime time. Android Auto is gaining support for message summarization for standalone texts and group chats, and it can also suggest replies. With a single tap, users will also be able to drop a message, start a call, and share an estimated arrival time. The idea is to deploy AI for crucial tasks so that it can minimize distractions while driving.
Lookout, an accessibility-centric feature for users with vision challenges, is also getting meaningful AI love. On Android phones, Lookout will now read AI-generated captions and descriptions for media content. For now, the AI boost to Lookout and Messages is limited to the English language.
Google just announced Android 15. Here’s everything that’s new
Android fans, it's time to start your hype engines. Google just released the first developer preview for Android 15 — kicking off the release of the next big Android update.
This is just the first step in a months-long process of Android 15's rollout, which will see numerous developer previews and betas before the final release later this year. So, what's new, when is Android 15 officially releasing, and should you download it? Here's everything you need to know.
What's new in Android 15
Google is launching a powerful new AI app for your Android phone
Remember Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT? Well, it is now officially called Gemini. Also, all those fancy AI features that previously went by the name Duet AI have been folded under the Gemini branding. In case you haven’t been following up all the AI development flood, the name is derived from the multi-modal large language model of the same name.
To go with the renaming efforts, Google has launched a standalone Gemini app on Android. Moreover, the Gemini experience is also being made available to iPhone users within the Google app on iOS. But wait, there’s more.
