Google+ Android app updated; start Hangouts from your phone

Google updated its Google+ app for iOS earlier this month, to allow for larger and more beautiful photos as well as made the app more fluid. When they announced the update for iOS, however, the update hadn't been available for Android yet because Google had plans to include more goodies when this update came to Android. Google+ announced in a blog post saying that the update includes a lot of features that were high in demand. The update will let you start a hangout from your mobile phone, edit posts inline and the stream has been reformated the way the iOS stream had been, with larger thumbnail images.

Google+ Android users can now start a Hangout on the go. Google says, "With Hangouts we want to help people connect face-to-face-to-face—at any time, from anywhere. Of course, there's really only one device that's always by your side—your phone." They said that they had invested in Hangouts on the mobile device earlier on (since last September) where you could join in on an ongoing Hangout from your mobile device. The update allows Android users to actually start a Hangout from their mobile devices. To do this, you need to tap "Hangout" in the new navigation ribbon. You then add some friends and hit "start". You have the option to select whether you want to call your recipients' phones and if someone misses a Hangouts call, they can call you back with a single tap.

Another change to the Android app is full-screen media in the stream, conversations that fade into view and instantly toucheable actions like +1. Google says, "When you share with your circles, we owe you an experience that's both intimate and immersive. Your time and your relationships are precious, after all, so your posts should make you feel proud."

Google+ is also trying to make your use of their Android app a little more fluid. They've added a navigation ribbon that slides in and out providing quicker access. You can also now download images directly from the Google+ app and make them a wallpaper. Finally, you can edit posts inline, just in case you've made any mistakes. This version of Google+ is version 2.6 and is available from Google Play.