The app learned a few new tricks in its jump up to version 5.4. The update fixes some animation weirdness, improves the work/home settings, offers clues into deeper ties with Android ar.
y this matters: The app is the home for a ton of features on your smartphone. ong with powering Now, it also controls many of the features of the Now uncher how your account integrates with the company’s services. So anytime there’s an update to the app, it’s worth paying attention.
Smoother animation
There’s no longer an ugly, gray bar that hangs around when you swipe away a card. Instead, the card slowly fades into the background when you push it off the screen.
The new animation (left) has the card fade away instead of leaving behind a stark, gray reminder of its presence (right).
There’s no new functionality with this, but at least it looks better. tweaks these type of things on the time, so this surely won’t be the last one.
aces are easier to find
Now when you touch Settings > Customize you’ll see a prominent spot at the top of the page for aces. This is where you can tell your home work address.
By telling Now where you work live, you’ll get traffic alerts if there’s an accident or some other type of delay.
As creepy as it sounds, it’s actually rather helpful because will notify you about your commute status offer a map for getting back home when you’re out about.
More ties to Android ar
This last observation is speculative, comes courtesy of investigative work by Android lice.
The code seems to lay the groundwork for a new A for Android ar. In practice this could mean the app will take over the responsibility for your Now cards on an Android ar watch. (thisnation) This would keep in line with ’s recent pattern of shifting ever more responsibility to the app.
may know more when there’s a Marshmallow build that’s ready for Android ar smartwatches.
app version 5.4 is now on A Mirror rolling out to the ay Store.
