Google shares details about Google Play services 8.1 update

If you are an Android developer, you ought to undoubtedly check out the new Google Play Services 8.1 and get your purposes/video games prepared for the upcoming Android 6.zero Marshmallow.

Detailing the new Google Play services 8.1 update, Google said that the update will give app developers the ability to prepare their apps to benefit from the new capabilities of the Android “Marshmallow” version. It’s important for Android developers to implement this new permissions model into their apps to ensure users are getting enough control over which permissions are granted to their mobile devices.

The Nearby Status Listener is another feature that Google Play Services 8.1 comes with. On the new version of Android, users will now have the option to change permissions, according to Pocket-Lint. Only then will they be able to properly manage permission flows. Google says the API allows developers to create unique experiences for certain classes of users. It will let you tailor user experiences to specific segments of players and different stages of the player lifecycle.

App Invites allows you to grow your apps audience by letting existing Android and iOS users invite their Google contacts via email or SMS to try your app out. For example, game writers can reward returning users with special gameplay or awards.

Google Nearby allows you to build simple interactions between nearby devices. With other words, this will allow the application user interface to accurately reflect whether Nearby is active or not. Detailed on the official Android Developers Blog, most of these changes are useful new APIs for devs to take advantage of, while some other changes could break some things unless addressed before Marshmallow arrives. This means a simplified low-color rendering of the map will be seen in Google Maps, which reduces power consumption by lighting fewer pixels. The GoogleApiClient and PendingResult have been abstracted, which Google says may lead to breakage in app code. They can download this via the Android SDK Manager, so they can start integrating the new features to their apps.

Google is all set to officially launch the Android 6.0 Marshmallow version on September 29.