Finally, Google updated their over-hyped smartphone “Nexus One” with multi-touch compatibility. Google just released a new software update for Nexus One which enables multi-touch on the so called super phone. Now Apple iPhone is not the only smartphone to have multi-touch. From the very first day of its launch, Nexus One users were not happy without this lucrative feature. According to the Mountain View-based company, the software upgrade delivers a new pinch-to-zoom mechanism for the phone’s browser, gallery and maps applications.
Nexus One owners can stop being jealous that the iPhone got an update today because an over-the-air update for the Google device is being pushed out starting now. It finally brings multitouch along with some 3G fixes and Google Goggles. The lack of native multi-touch support has been criticized as one of the primary “weaknesses” of the Nexus One and other Android phones.
Google’s just outed a very, very significant update to the Nexus One that includes Google Goggles on board and a re-upped version of Google Maps that includes suggestions and a dedicated night mode. Much more significantly, though, they’ve capitulated and enabled multitouch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps — great news and a big win for the Android community at large.
Finally, there are some 3G improvements in there, but you might have to wait a bit — Google expects to have it rolled out to pretty much everyone toward the end of the week.
Although Google has enabled multi-touch on its flagship Nexus One smartphone, it remains unclear when the feature will reach other Android-based devices.
Indeed, a spokesperson for the Mountain View based company recently told TechCrunch that multi-touch support is part of the Android 2.0 framework and will be included in the next OS update.
“However, it will be up to carriers and device manufactures to roll the updated software to these devices for browser, gallery, and maps applications,” added the spokesperson.
According to Google, the following changes come with the software update:
Google Goggles:
This mobile application will now be available directly on your device by launching it from your All Apps menu. Just use your Nexus One camera to start searching the webGoogle Maps:
The Maps application with be updated to a new version, Google Maps 3.4, which will include:
Starred items synchronized with maps.google.com – access your favorite places from your phone or computer
Search suggestions from your personal maps.google.com history – makes it easy to search for places you’ve searched for beforeNight mode in Google Maps Navigation – automatically changes your screen at night for easier viewing and driving
Pinch-to-zoom functionality: devices will now include a new pinch-to-zoom mechanism in the phone’s Browser, Gallery and Maps applications3G connectivity:
We will provide a general fix to help improve 3G connectivity on some Nexus One phones
Google answered to ReadWriteWeb’s question of why now?
The company says that Android 2.1 “powers a new class of devices” with more horsepower and bigger displays, and “based on these new capabilities and numerous requests from Android users, we decided to provide pinch-to-zoom capabilities with this new over-the-air software update for Nexus One devices.”
All you need to do to get the update is wait until you “receive a message on your phone’s notification bar. Just download the update, wait for it to install, and you should be all set. This update will be rolled out gradually to phones – and most users might not receive the notification until the end of the week.”
Video Credit: Engadget
