From Google's press release:
What does it mean for you:
1. Turn-based Multiplayer
Play Games now supports turn-based multiplayer! Developers can build asynchronous games to play with friends and auto-matched players, supporting 2-8 players per game. When players take turns, their turn data is uploaded to Play Services and shared with other players automatically.
Google is also providing an optional new Connecting to Play Games transition animation during sign-in, before the permission dialog appears. This helps contextualize the permission dialog, especially in games that ask for sign in on game start.
2. Google Drive
This version of Google Play Services includes a developer preview of the new Google Drive API for Android. You can use it to easily read and write files in Google Drive so they're available across devices and on the web. Users can work with files offline too changes are synced with Google Drive automatically when they reconnect.
The API also includes common UI components including a file picker and save dialog.
3. Battery Life
Improved battery life when Google Location Reporting is on many users have been complaining that enabling location reporting drains the battery excessively. Location reporting runs in the background and uses Wi-Fi, cell networks, and GPS to determine the devices location, which is useful for navigation apps, Google Now, check-in apps, running trackers, and other apps. Unfortunately, Google didn't drop any details in terms of how much battery life can be saved here, so it is a little unclear what the results will end up looking like.
Also, not all Android users will see the update just yet, as it is rolling out slowly. Once it has done so, devs will find the new APIs available through the Android SDK portal. But if you want the apk now, here is the link to Android Police to download it:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/01/09/google-play-services-4-1-begins-rollout-with-turn-based-multiplayer-new-google-drive-api-preview-and-more/
What does it mean for you:
1. Turn-based Multiplayer
Play Games now supports turn-based multiplayer! Developers can build asynchronous games to play with friends and auto-matched players, supporting 2-8 players per game. When players take turns, their turn data is uploaded to Play Services and shared with other players automatically.
Google is also providing an optional new Connecting to Play Games transition animation during sign-in, before the permission dialog appears. This helps contextualize the permission dialog, especially in games that ask for sign in on game start.
2. Google Drive
This version of Google Play Services includes a developer preview of the new Google Drive API for Android. You can use it to easily read and write files in Google Drive so they're available across devices and on the web. Users can work with files offline too changes are synced with Google Drive automatically when they reconnect.
The API also includes common UI components including a file picker and save dialog.
3. Battery Life
Improved battery life when Google Location Reporting is on many users have been complaining that enabling location reporting drains the battery excessively. Location reporting runs in the background and uses Wi-Fi, cell networks, and GPS to determine the devices location, which is useful for navigation apps, Google Now, check-in apps, running trackers, and other apps. Unfortunately, Google didn't drop any details in terms of how much battery life can be saved here, so it is a little unclear what the results will end up looking like.
Also, not all Android users will see the update just yet, as it is rolling out slowly. Once it has done so, devs will find the new APIs available through the Android SDK portal. But if you want the apk now, here is the link to Android Police to download it:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/01/09/google-play-services-4-1-begins-rollout-with-turn-based-multiplayer-new-google-drive-api-preview-and-more/