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Google Play Services 5.0 should be rolling out to everyone by now; here’s what’s new

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Google Play Services

Google has announced that they have completed the rollout of Google Play Services 5.0 which should bring exciting new features for developers and users alike. Here is the short version of everything that’s new in case you need a quick refresher:

  • Android Wearable Services API: necessary for Android Wear functionality.
  • Dynamic security provider API
  • Google Play Games: Quests and Save Game API. Quests allow you to give players timed challenges that they can complete for recognition or in-game rewards, while the Save Game Snapshot API enables cloud game saving so players can pick up where they left off no matter which device they use.
  • App Indexing API: used to allow developers to enable deeper search results in applications, as well as enabling deep pages within their apps to show up within Google.
  • Google Cast SDK: now includes closed caption support in Chromecast.
  • Google Drive API: adds ability to sort results of a query, create folders while offline and select any MIME type in the file picker.
  • Google Wallet: “Save to Wallet” functionality allows users to easily save offers, coupons and loyalty cards from within an app to your Google Wallet account. Google Wallet can now remind you to scan your loyalty card whenever they detect you at one of the business you have an offer with. Finally, Instant Buy now supports split tenders so you can defer the rest of your payment to a debit or credit card in case your Wallet balance doesn’t have enough funds.

This release also enables the “OK, Google” hotword functionality from within any screen on your phone. Some folks might still not be able to access this option in Google Now as that is controlled by a server-side switch instead of an app update, but it shouldn’t be long before Google starts enabling it for everyone (I only just received the feature this morning). Enjoy!

[via Google]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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24 Comments

  1. The save game thing needs to be implemented yesterday.

    1. I agree. The same problem still exists though. You need developers to actually implement it.

      1. How do you know you that you received the OK Google update? I have the updated Google Search and Play Services. My device is a Nexus 5 stock.

        1. Go to Google Now, Settings, Voice (under “Search Now & Cards”), “Ok Google” Detection. You should see “From Google Search app”, check that box and the option “From any screen” should be selectable. Check the box for that option and, bam! You’ve got “Ok Google” hot word detection from anywhere. There’s also an additional option “From the lockscreen” if you desire that functionality as well. Cheers.

          1. When I do that all I see is the From Google Search app. I have no other settings.

          2. If you’re in the search app – either by opening the app specifically or by holding your “Home” button and swiping up – you should see the “three dot button” in the bottom right. Tap that and you should see “Settings” and “Help & feedback”. That’ll get you where you need to be. I hope that helps.

          3. If only they added a microphone to that Home menu which would be the equivalent of holding down the Search button on my Droid Razr Maxx. I’m going to miss that easier button.

  2. I got the update. OK google works everywhere now as long as the screen is on. It also hears the hot word and beeps with the screen off if the phone is charging but doesn’t seem to actually do the action.

  3. “OK Google” everywhere is working now! :D

  4. Does the new update fix the pocket heater/battery drain mode it seems to slip into a couple times per day?

  5. Is OK Google supposed to work with the screen off?

    1. Only if the phone is charging.

  6. You left something off your list of what’s new: Increased battery drain.
    Thanks Google. :(

  7. So… do I need to update all other Google apps for this to run right on my phone? With a Droid Razr Maxx that I don’t really need to upgrade, I teeter between running older apps with interfaces and functionality that is reliable (or still exists) with the risk that they stop functioning when Google Services updates, or updating to new apps that may have stripped functionality or bizarre interface changes that add steps or slow down the app or phone.

  8. Got it! :)

  9. If anybody still doesn’t have “OK Google” everywhere but do have the new search app and Google Play Services 5.0, do a search in Google Now for “OK Google everywhere”. Doing that made the setting option appear on my Nexus 10, and then it worked again when I tried it on my Nexus 5.

    1. Wesley I still haven’t even gotten the update yet on My Moto G LTE, I can’t be the only one.. So this rollout is not complete??. I keep clicking on the settings in the store still says up to date on version 4.8.20 I am not super worried about it. But the strange thing is these unlocked Moto’s usually get any kind of updates I thought right away. My google apps all are showing up to date also. In fact to get Youtube to update to the newest update, I actually had to press uninstall then it updated..

      1. The Moto phones don’t get the Okay Google command everywhere. You can blame the Moto X for that. =]

        Also, you have to manually check the Play services version in the Apps section.

        1. Hey Jason. Actually I did the Ok Google everywhere trick & I got it!! Awesomeness to search from any screen now!! and I have been checking manually as well. But when the apps are ready for update, If I don’t have them on auto update it will say updates avail and nothing showing yet for some of the key google apps that are supposed to be updated. Where did you see that Moto wasn’t getting the new search feature?? Like said working great on my G! :)

    2. Weird my play services hasn’t changed to version 5.0 But I was able to get this by clocking on uninstall the search and then re updating it.. Great feature phone wakes up even when asleep. Pretty nifty.

  10. See my other post. I can’t be the only one who hasn’t received this play store update yet.. Anyone??

  11. Wow I think I was looking on that the wrong thing on my phone! I was confusing the google Play store version with actual play services lol. I factory reset my phone and it updated play services to 5.0 and then I checked the play store version and it’s the same. It prob had already updated before and I didn’t know it… Because once it does it disappears.

  12. Cloud save.
    \(^▽^@)ノ

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