Google+ Mobile Apps
With most social networks, when it comes to mobile experiences users can be left wanting more. To be honest, most social networks have horrible mobile applications that don’t offer but a fraction of the user experience that their desktop counterparts do. This is a confusing reality for many, because nearly every statistic points to a massive shift from desktop to mobile in the way people consume content as Internet users.
When Google+ was first introduced, it appeared that it wanted to keep that status quo, but as you all know, things change. In the summer of 2012, Google released a completely redesigned app for Android and iOS (iPhone and iPad) that completely caught everyone off guard. The Google+ mobile application had been rebuilt from the ground up. Not only was it incredibly visually impressive, but also the user experience, in many ways, exceeded that of its desktop counterpart.
Let’s walk through each section of the app (screen shots were taken on an Android Nexus 10 tablet).
Exploring the Home Screen
When you open your Google+ app for the first time, you will see the home screen (Figure 22). The focus on visuals is the first aspect of the app that should catch your eye. Images appear bright and beautiful, taking up the majority of space allotted to each post, which is great for photographers. If you’re holding your mobile device horizontally, your stream will appear from left to right. Place your finger near the right side of your device and drag it across the screen to the left. Your stream will move, and more content will populate the screen in front of your eyes. If you hold a phone or smaller tablet vertically, the swiping motion moves content from bottom to top in the same fashion.
Figure 22. The main screen in the Google+ mobile app.
Located on the right side of the screen is a dark gray bar with four icons. This is your “publish” bar in the Google+ app:
• Blue camera. Use this icon to share an image from your mobile device.
• Red pin. Use this icon to check in at a location.
• Yellow smiley face. Use this icon to share an emoticon (an icon with a corresponding emotion).
• Green pen. Use this icon to create a post.
Navigating the App
When you click the red G+ icon in the top-left corner of every section in the Google+ app, the main navigation sidebar appears (Figure 23). Here you can access all of the other sections of the Google+ app, as well as review your notification on Google+ (at the bottom of the bar). Note that the sidebar is scrollable, so you can scroll down using your finger to find more notifications.
Figure 23. The easiest way to move around the Google+ mobile app is to use the navigation sidebar.
Finding People and Pages
When you access the Google+ app’s Find People section, you’ll see a series of scrollable rows with users sorted into various categories, such as Music, Art, Photography, Sports, and Featured on Google+ (Figure 24). In the You May Know section, you’ll find users who you might have connected with on one of Google’s other products, such as Gmail or YouTube.
Figure 24. When you want to find other Google+ users, check out the Find People section.
If you are looking for someone specific, click the magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner of your screen.
Accessing Your Profile
Your profile on the Google+ app should mimic the look and feel of the desktop version (Figure 25). Your profile thumbnail and About section will be up front and center along with your cover image. To the right (or below on a mobile phone), you’ll find all of your recent posts, which scroll in a similar fashion to the home screen in the mobile app.
Figure 25. Your profile is your home on the Google+ network.
Colby’s Quick Tips
The small gray camera or pen icons in the About section in your profile act as indicators for sections that you can edit or change from within the mobile app.
Finding Images in the Photos Section
The Google+ app’s Photos section is divided into thumbnails of all of your photo albums (Figure 26). You can scroll left to right (or up and down on a mobile phone) to find the album in question. Click an album and a screen appears that contains smaller thumbnails of your images inside that album. Click on a photo to see a larger version of it on your screen.
Figure 26. Find all of your images in the Photos section.
Accessing Communities
In the Communities section you’ll find small thumbnails representing all of the communities you have either started or joined (Figure 27). Click a community to see what has been shared with the group. Once inside a community, you can click the “All categories” tab at the top of your screen to access a drop-down menu and go to the various sections of the community.
Figure 27. You can easily access any of the communities you have joined in Google+ via the Communities section of the mobile app.
Colby’s Quick Tips
On the main Communities page, click the Your Communities tab at the top of your screen to change the page to see all of the communities you have been invited to or find communities that Google+ suggests you check out.
Starting Hangouts
In the Hangouts section, you can start a hangout from your mobile device, inviting select individuals or the general public (Figure 28). You won’t find a list of all of the available hangouts like you do on the Hangouts page on your desktop or laptop computer, but you can still join a hangout if you are invited from your mobile device. If you are logged into your Google Chat (IM) account, a window will appear and a notification sound will inform you that you have been invited to a Google+ Hangout.
Figure 28. Invite the world to join you for a hangout from your mobile device.
Colby’s Quick Tips
Doing a hangout from the road is a great way to bring your followers along with you on your adventures and keep them engaged with what you are doing.
Checking Events
On the home page of the app’s Events section you’ll find a list of all of the upcoming Google+ Events you have agreed to attend (Figure 29). If you click the Upcoming tab at the top of your screen, you can filter the events by those that have already happened.
Figure 29. Stay up to date with all of your events in the Events section of the mobile app for Google+.
Chatting via Messenger
When a Google+ user attempts to contact you via the Google+ app, the conversation invites are sent to the Messenger section (Figure 30). Here you’ll find a complete listing of all of the chat invites you have received as well as those you have accepted. You can also start your own chat room where you can invite up to 99 people to engage in a text conversation. In a Messenger chat, you can share photos and even start a hangout where you automatically invite everyone in the chat room.
Figure 30. Group chats with other Google+ users are done via the Messenger section.
Colby’s Quick Tips
Messenger chats are a great feature to use when you are getting people together for an event like a photo walk. You can all chime in when people begin to arrive, as well as easily keep in touch throughout the duration of the event.
Going Local
If you are looking for information about the area around your current location, the Local section is for you (Figure 31). Here you can find local places to eat, search for attractions, get recommendations, and even write your own recommendations. This section actually transfers you to Google Maps, but much of the local content is taken from Google+.
Figure 31. Check out the Local section of the Google+ app to find a place to eat nearby.