Mobile Tweaks

Google News prints Android edition

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Mobile Tweaks

We have been questioning if native Android apps from Google were a thing of the past, but it looks like the company is willing to give its services more mobile love now that they will be pushing their own phone. Recent apps like Listen and Goggles came with little warning and were a nice surprise to find in the Android Market.

What is the next Google Service to get the Android treatment? That would be Google News.

Notice the cool 3D effects at the bottom.

I was browsing Twitter tonight when I found the above picture of the Nexus One which someone posted for Reddit. We can see the app drawer and some of the standard apps that came loaded with the phone. At the bottom of the phone we can see some of the new UI tweaks for Android 2.1 being used. Most of the apps we have known about, but I spotted something new on the bottom row.

Click to enlarge.

Right between Music and Pandora we have an icon that looks like a little newspaper. When you zoom in you can see it reads Google News. The apps are displayed in alphabetical order so it fits in line with Music, News, then Pandora.

The mobile site for Google News just got an update so it is a little surprising to see this app already. I’m not sure what extra features they could include in a native app, but I welcome it hoping for a an improved UI and desktop widget.

What features would you like to see in the Google News app?

Update: So I have been told this is the same app as the genie.apk widget that leaked out. Screens upcoming…