Google today announced the rollout of Play Services 7.0. Play Services is the backbone developers use to create and power applications for Android.
The latest version of Play Services adds a handful of new tools for developers to take advantage of when writing apps. First is a Location Settings Dialog box that will appear when users need to activate location services. Typically when apps require location details apps prompt users to go to the settings menu to turn location on. With the Location Settings Dialog box, a pop-up menu will appear instead, allowing users to flick on GPS without diving into the settings menu. A Places API allows developers to call up details from Google’s database of places and businesses within Maps, making it easier for users to see the names of nearby venues and points of interest.
Play Services 7.0 breaks up the Google Fit API into six different APIs that allow developers to fine-tune how Google Fit handles workouts and other sensor data capturing in the background. Targeting gamers, the Nearby Connections API lets games connect smartphones and tablets as second-screen controls to the game running on your TV. The new developer tools also makes me changes to advertising behaviors.
Google is rolling Play Services 7.0 beginning today. It should reach most phones running Android 2.3 and up in the next one to two weeks. After it has been distributed, Google will give developers a new SDK to access all the new tools inside Play Services 7.0.
