Google on Wednesday announced a major redesign for Gmail, aiming to expand the app beyond an email service and into a hub for planning projects and chatting with co-workers. The update brings Gmail in more direct competition with other productivity apps from rivals including Slack and Microsoft, which has a product called Teams.  The idea …

Google has been dogged for years with a major problem when it comes to Android, its mobile operating system: Updates to the software can be hard to implement, leading to inconsistencies and outdated features for users. The search giant on Thursday, though, said it’s getting better at updating Android because of under-the-hood tweaks and policy changes it’s made with the …

Google on Monday said it will be free for businesses to list products in the company’s search results, a change that escalates Google’s already fierce rivalry with Amazon. Previously, Google showed shopping listings as a panel of sponsored links from advertisers bidding on specific search terms, like air fryers or home gyms. Now listings in that panel will be free, …

For Erin Feher, protesting systemic racism after the death of George Floyd meant relying heavily on one app: Google Maps.  Feher, a magazine editor in San Francisco, organized a caravan of automobiles to drive through some of the city’s sleepier neighborhoods earlier this month, in order to bring the protest to places other than downtown centers. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, …

As people all over the world livestream protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Jon Ziegler remembers when he captured a tragic moment that was seen around the globe.  On Aug. 12, 2017, Ziegler grabbed his camera rig and headed to a counterprotest at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The night before, neo-Nazis and alt-right activists had …

Google on Wednesday launched the latest version of its Android mobile operating system, a release that was previously set to occur at a virtual launch event. The search giant, though, has canceled the event as people around the world hold protests over police brutality and systemic racism. (Here’s how to download Android 11 beta on your phone.) “We have cancelled …

Google said late Friday that it’s postponing a virtual event that had been planned for next week, where the search giant was set to unveil the newest version of its Android mobile operating system.  The company didn’t give a specific reason for the delay but suggested the postponement may be due to protests taking place across the country. People have …

Google on Wednesday said it’s revamping its Maps app with new features aimed at helping consumers connect with local businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. One new tool lets people book virtual appointments, like online yoga or cooking classes, along with giving price estimates for the services. Another update lets shops list special hours, like windows specifically designated for seniors or …

Google said on Thursday it had removed three apps related to the QAnon conspiracy theory from its Play Store digital marketplace.  The apps — called QMAP, Q Alerts! and Q Alerts LITE — were taken down for violating Google’s policies against “harmful information,” the company said. The removal was earlier reported by Media Matters for America, a progressive not-for-profit. The QAnon …

Google on Wednesday said it’s holding an online event next month to unveil the beta version of Android 11, the next generation of the search giant’s mobile operating system. The event, scheduled for June 3 at 8 a.m. PT, will feature keynote addresses from Google executives including Android’s vice president of engineering, Dave Burke, and senior director of product management …