Google recently held an event in which they presented many new things in the Android ecosystem, just one month after the Google I/O developer conference, and it did not disappoint. Android 4.3, the latest update to its operating system, is now here, which was also presented along with Google Play Games, the new service that unifies all the features related to its video game catalogue.
Android 4.3: Improving the experience
The new version of Android focuses on improving the already existing features, rather than adding new ones, thus optimizing the performance and battery life of the devices that are running it. It will still be called Jelly Bean, just like the previous updates, making it clear that it is an ongoing project.
One of the most noteworthy additions is the restricted profile feature. The ability to switch between users was already included in 4.2. Now, this feature has been expanded upon to allow for restricted access for users, similar to user permissions that you would find on desktop operating systems.
Usability has been improved for 7-inch devices, and apps such as Drive, Maps, and Hangouts will now be adapted to this resolution. Tech wise, OpenGL ES 3.0 support has been added, which can be used for 3D video games that begin include it from now on. A new Bluetooth technology was also included to make it more efficient and consume less resources.
The new Nexus 7 tablet will be the first to integrate the new OS, while the rest of the Nexus line of devices will get it in the next few days. Possible updates for other manufacturers have not been announced.
Google Play Games
Android was desperately in need of an app that encompassed everything dealing with playing video games on its platform. Google Play is a very disperse service that currently covers a multitude of other services, so unifying video game play had to be done in another place. It was already introduced a couple months ago, but it wasn’t until now that it has been made available.
Not all of the features are currently available on the service. At the moment, you can only see your list of games, those you have installed, recommended game downloads according to the ones you already have, and your friends who have recently played said games. Some games already incorporate a system of achievements, and you can manage the ones you earned from this application, and you can also see those that your friends have earned.
Another (and the most important) feature is the ability to invite your friends to play with you on games that support it. So, you can send an invite from within the game to another user who also has it so they can access it in real time, and join the match.
Download Google Play Games on Uptodown
http://google-play-games.en.uptodown.com/android
