Google+ Rolls Out Massive End Of The Year Updates

Google+ on Thursday announced deeper YouTube integration and in a new announcement the company is rolling out more updates than you can count on two hands. Before the holidays the social network is rolling out a total of 24 new features.

Some are bug and performance fixes that aren’t listed. However, Google+ has listed many of its newest improvements and there is a new update available today for both the Android and iOS app.

For Android, here are the new features:

• Profile editing.
• Communities integration.
• Slightly modified layout with removal of top bar for posting or checking in to a location.
• New colorful bottom bar with options to post a photo, text update, check-in or share your mood to Google+ with several different animated gifs.
• Ability to subscribe to mobile notifications from circles.
• Full-size photo backups with up to 5GB free storage.
• Photo spheres or 360-degree panoramas now display on mobile. You need Android 4.2 in order to create a photo sphere.
• Birthday reminders from those you have circled now appear in Google Now.

For iOS, the changes are virtually the same aside from the ability to view Photo spheres and full-size photo backups. Also, iOS users can now swipe through photo albums inline, tap once to view all photos and better zoom in on images within the stream. New conversation cards give a better look at what you’re talking about.

Here are features making their way to Google+ for desktop users:

• Can send messages to specific guests you’ve invited to an event and see who’s viewed your invitation.
• If an offline event, guests can RSVP with the number of people they’re bringing.
• Easily create new events related to recent events with “Duplicate Event.” All important details are automatically added.
• Low bandwidth Hangouts. All one needs is a minimum of 150 KB of bandwidth.
• Only you in a Hangout On Air? The bottom filmstrip of faces is removed to show just your video.

All these new features are rolling out in the next day or two to Google+ users and this ensures the team behind the social network can worry a bit less during the holidays about getting new updates out.