Tag Archives: Beta

Client-side encryption for Gmail available in beta

What’s changing

We’re expanding customer access to client-side encryption in Gmail on the web. Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers are eligible to apply for the beta until January 20th, 2022.

Using client-side encryption in Gmail ensures sensitive data in the email body and attachments are indecipherable to Google servers. Customers retain control over encryption keys and the identity service to access those keys.


Who’s impacted
Admins and end users



Why it’s important

Google Workspace already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between our facilities. Client-side encryption helps strengthen the confidentiality of your data while helping to address a broad range of data sovereignty and compliance needs. 

Client-side encryption is already available for Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Google Meet, and Google Calendar (beta).


Getting started


  • Admins: 
    • Eligible Workspace customers can apply for the beta after completing a few steps to prepare your account.
    • This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the domain, OU, and Group levels (Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption). Visit the Help Center to learn more about client side encryption. 

  • End users: To add client-side encryption to any message, click the lock icon and select additional encryption, and compose your message and add attachments as normal. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Client-side encryption for Gmail.





Rollout

We will be accepting beta applications and allowlisting customers over the next several weeks.


Availability

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
  • Not available to users with personal Google Accounts

Resources


Beta Channel Update for ChromeOS

The Beta channel is being updated to 108.0.5359.58 (Platform version: 15183.51.0) for most ChromeOS devices. This build contains a number of bug fixes and security updates and will be rolled out over the next couple days.

If you find new issues, please let us know one of the following ways

  1. File a bug
  2. Visit our ChromeOS communities
    1. General: Chromebook Help Community
    2. Beta Specific: ChromeOS Beta Help Community
  3. Report an issue or send feedback on Chrome

Interested in switching channels? Find out how.


Google ChromeOS.

October 2022 update to Display & Video 360 API v2

Today we’re announcing the October 2022 update to Display & Video 360 API v2, which is still in beta. This update includes the following features:
  • Partial insertion order targeting write support for a subset of targeting types with the addition of create and delete methods to the insertion order AssignedTargetingOptions service.
  • The ability to duplicate an existing line item to create a new line item with identical settings and assigned targeting under the same insertion order.
More detailed information about this update can be found in the Display & Video 360 API release notes and updated instructions on migrating from v1 to v2 can be found in our migration guide. Before using these new features, make sure to update your client library to the latest version.

If you have questions regarding the breaking changes or run into issues or need help with these new features, please contact us using our support contact form.
- Trevor Mulchay, Display & Video 360 API Team

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – October 14, 2022

New updates 


There are no new updates to share this week. Please see below for a recap of published announcements. 


Previous announcements


The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.



In-room meeting participants can now join break out rooms 
When using Google Meet Hardware devices, meeting hosts can now assign conference rooms to breakout rooms. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits customers only. | Learn more. 


Transcribe speech during Google Meet calls into a Google Doc 
You can now transcribe a Google Meet video meeting into a Google Doc. The transcribed file is saved in the hosts “Meet Recordings” folder in Google Drive, similar to meeting recordings. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers only. | Learn more. 


Use SIP Link to link phone numbers from local carriers to Google Voice 
For Google Voice Standard and Premier customers, admins can now connect a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunk with Voice. This allows phone numbers (PSTN services) from local carriers to be used for Google Voice through a secure set of certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs), such as Audiocodes, Cisco, Oracle, and Ribbon. | Available with Voice Standard and Voice Premier licenses only. | Learn more. 


Preview and interact with files using smart chips in Google Sheets 
As an extension of smart canvas, you can now add Google Drive files directly into a Google Sheet as a smart chip. | Learn more. 


Expanding smart chips to include events in Google Sheets 
In addition to the recent announcement of adding files to Google Sheets using smart chips, we're also making it easier for you to quickly insert Calendar events into Sheets. | Learn more. 


Join or start a meeting directly from Jamboard on the web to kickstart collaboration 
We’re expanding interoperability with Google Meet and Jamboard with the option to join or start a meeting directly from Jamboard on the web. This makes it easier for you to seamlessly present your jam and start collaborating. | Learn more. 


Data loss prevention for Google Chat now generally available 
Over the next several weeks, data loss prevention (DLP) rules for Google Chat will become generally available for select Google Workspace editions. Data protection rules for Chat help admins and security experts build a stronger framework around sensitive data to prevent personal or proprietary information from ending up in the wrong hands. | Learn more. 

Improve your visibility in Google Meet video calls
Google Meet can now automatically frame your video before joining a meeting to help ensure equal visibility for all participants. The automatic framing happens only once, so there are no motion distractions that can divert attention from the content of the meeting. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Workspace Individual customers with eligible devices. Also available to Google One subscribers with 2TB or more storage space with eligible devices. | Learn more. 

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Data loss prevention for Google Chat now generally available

This announcement was made at Google Cloud Next ‘22. Check out Next OnAir to tune into the livestream or watch session recordings following the event. Visit the Cloud Blog to learn more about the latest Google Workspace innovations for the ever-changing world of work. 

What’s changing

In July 2022, we announced data loss prevention (DLP) rules for Google Chat as an open beta. Over the next several weeks, this feature will become generally available for select Google Workspace editions. 


Data protection rules for Chat help admins and security experts build a stronger framework around sensitive data to prevent personal or proprietary information from ending up in the wrong hands. These leaks, whether accidental or malicious, are a top concern for our customers. 


Admins can selectively apply data protection rules to: 
  • Messages in group conversations, spaces, and/or direct messages 
  • Messages between internal and/or external participants 
  • Message text and/or attachments 

Once DLP rules are applied, messages and files in relevant conversations will automatically be scanned for sensitive information. Admins can configure the action to be taken in response to sensitive data being detected, such as: block from sending, warn before sending, and log for audit. 


In the Security Investigation Tool, we’ve added additional tabs which contain more information on incidents, such as Incident Details, containing information about the message, sender and a triggered rule, and Chat Transcript, showing preceding and following messages to the triggering one, providing a detailed context for investigation.

Additional information regarding Chat events

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the domain, OU, or group level. You can create DLP rules in the Admin console under Security > Data Protection. 
      • Note: You can modify existing DLP rules for Drive and Chrome to also apply to Chat. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning data loss prevention in Chat on for your organization. 
    • If admins opt to log these events, they can be accessed in the Security Investigation Tool. 
  • End users: There is no action required. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus. 
  • DLP for Chat is also available to Cloud Identity Premium users who are also licensed for Workspace editions that include Google Chat and Audit and investigation. Visit the Help Center for more information. 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 

Resources 

Beta Channel Update for ChromeOS

The Beta channel is being updated to 106.0.5249.49 (Platform version: 15054.62.0/15054.63.0) for most ChromeOS devices. This build contains a number of bug fixes and security updates.

If you find new issues, please let us know one of the following ways

  1. File a bug
  2. Visit our ChromeOS communities
    1. General: Chromebook Help Community
    2. Beta Specific: ChromeOS Beta Help Community
  3. Report an issue or send feedback on Chrome

Interested in switching channels? Find out how.

Cole Brown,
Google ChromeOS

Announcing beta launch of Display & Video 360 API v2 and survey extension

We’re pleased to announce that Display & Video 360 API v2 is available in public beta starting today. We're also extending our DV360 API Developer Survey through the end of September so that we can gather more customer feedback on v2 and the API in general.

v2 includes a number of new features and breaking changes. Here are some of the changes introduced in v2:

More detailed information about this release can be found in our release notes. Follow the steps in our migration guide to migrate from v1 to v2. As it is in beta, be aware that we might make unversioned breaking changes to DV360 API v2 before it exits the beta phase.

If you want to provide feedback and recommend features that should be included in future versions of the API, please fill out our DV360 API Developer Survey. The survey has been extended through the end of September and will help shape the product roadmap for v2 and beyond.

If you run into issues or need help with these new features or samples, please contact us using our support contact form.

- Trevor Mulchay, Display & Video 360 API Team

Trust rules for Google Drive are now available in open beta

What’s changing 

In 2021 we announced a closed beta for trust rules in Google Drive, which gives admins more control over how files can be shared, both within and outside of their organization. Beginning today, this feature will be available as an open beta for specific Google Workspace customers, which means you can use it without enrolling in a specific beta program. See below for more information regarding availability. 


With trust rules, admins can enforce policies that limit internal and external sharing. Specific rules can even be set for organizational units and groups, allowing a more granular approach than enforcing blanket policies on every user. 


Trust rules can be turned on in the Admin console — once enabled, it will replace “Sharing options” within the Google Drive portion of the Admin console. Your existing Drive sharing settings will automatically become trust rules – note that this will not change your existing sharing settings or security configurations. 


See below for more information and availability. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why it’s important 

Previously, admins were only given broad control over sharing settings for Drive, which meant choosing between options such as: no external sharing or only sharing with trusted domains. 


By enabling the trust rules beta, admins now have more control over how files can be shared, both within and outside of their organization. For example, admins can limit what their frontline workers should have access to versus other parts of their organization. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: Eligible Admins can enable this feature in the Admin console by going to Rules > Turn on trust rules. Visit the Help Center to learn more about trust rules. 


  • End users: Your Admin’s trust rules will determine who you can share and collaborate with on Drive files. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, Education Plus, and Education Standard Customers 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers 

Resources 

Final Android 13 Beta update, official release is next!

Posted by Maru Ahues Bouza, Director, Android Developer Relations

We’re just a few weeks away from the official release of Android 13! As we put the finishing touches on the next version of Android, today we’re bringing you Beta 4, a final update for your testing and development. Now is the time to make sure your apps are ready!

There’s a lot to explore in Android 13, from privacy features like the new notification permission and photo picker, to productivity features like themed app icons and per-app language support, as well as modern standards like HDR video, Bluetooth LE Audio, and MIDI 2.0 over USB. We’ve also extended the updates we made in 12L, giving you better tools to take advantage of tablet and large screen devices.

You can try Beta 4 today on your Pixel device by enrolling here for over-the-air updates. If you previously enrolled, you’ll automatically get today’s update. You can also get Android 13 Beta on select devices from several of our partners. Visit the Android 13 developer site for details.

Watch for more information on the official Android 13 release coming soon!

What’s in Beta 4?

Today’s update includes a release candidate build of Android 13 for Pixel devices and the Android Emulator. We reached Platform Stability at Beta 3, so all app-facing surfaces are final, including SDK and NDK APIs, app-facing system behaviors, and restrictions on non-SDK interfaces. With these and the latest fixes and optimizations, Beta 4 gives you everything you need to complete your testing.

Get your apps ready!

With the official Android 13 release just ahead, we’re asking all app and game developers to complete your final compatibility testing and publish your compatibility updates ahead of the final release. For SDK, library, tools, and game engine developers, it’s important to release your compatible updates as soon as possible -- your downstream app and game developers may be blocked until they receive your updates.

To test your app for compatibility, just install it on a device running Android 13 Beta 4 and work through the app flows, looking for any functional or UI issues. Review the Android 13 behavior changes for all apps to focus on areas where your app could be affected. Here are some of the top changes to test:

  • Runtime permission for notifications - Android 13 introduces a new runtime permission for sending notifications from an app. Make sure you understand how the new permission works, and plan on targeting Android 13 (API 33) as soon as possible. More here.
  • Clipboard preview - Make sure your app hides sensitive data in Android 13’s new clipboard preview, such as passwords or credit card information. More here.
  • JobScheduler prefetch - JobScheduler now tries to anticipate the next time your app will be launched and will run any associated prefetch jobs ahead of that time. If you use prefetch jobs, test that they are working as expected. More here.

Remember to test the libraries and SDKs in your app for compatibility. If you find any SDK issues, try updating to the latest version of the SDK or reaching out to the developer for help.

Once you’ve published the compatible version of your current app, you can start the process to update your app's targetSdkVersion. Review the behavior changes that apply when your app targets Android 13 and use the compatibility framework to help detect issues quickly.

Tablets and large-screens support

Android 13 builds on the tablet optimizations introduced in 12L, so as part of your testing, make sure your apps look their best on tablets and other large-screen devices. You can test large-screen features by setting up an Android emulator in Android Studio, or you can use a large screen device from our Android 13 Beta partners. Here are some areas to watch for:

  • Taskbar interaction - Check how your app responds when viewed with the new taskbar on large screens. Make sure your app's UI isn't cut off or blocked by the taskbar. More here.
  • Multi-window mode - Multi-window mode is now enabled by default for all apps, regardless of app configuration, so make sure the app handles split-screen appropriately. You can test by dragging and dropping your app into split-screen mode and adjusting the window size. More here.
  • Improved compatibility experience - if your app isn’t optimized for tablets yet, such as using a fixed orientation or not being resizable, check how your app responds to compatibility mode adjustments such as letterboxing. More here.
  • Media projection - If your app uses media projection, check how your app responds while playing back, streaming, or casting media on large screens. Be sure to account for device posture changes on foldable devices as well. More here.
  • Camera preview - For camera apps, check how your camera preview UI responds on large screens when your app is constrained to a portion of the screen in multi-window or split-screen mode. Also check how your app responds when a foldable device's posture changes. More here.

You can read more about the tablet features in Android 13 and what to test here.

Get started with Android 13

Today’s Beta 4 release has everything you need to test your app and try the Android 13 features. Just enroll your Pixel device to get the update over-the-air. To get started, set up the Android 13 SDK.

You can also test your app with Android 13 Beta on devices from several of our partners. Visit android.com/beta to see the full list of partners, with links to their sites for details on their supported devices and Beta builds, starting with Beta 1. Each partner will handle their own enrollments and support, and provide the Beta updates to you directly. For even broader testing, you can try Beta 4 on Android GSI images, and if you don’t have a device, you can test on the Android Emulator. For complete details on Android 13, visit the Android 13 developer site.

What’s next?

Watch for information on the official Android 13 launch coming in the weeks ahead! Until then, feel free to continue sharing your feedback through our hotlists for platform issues, app compatibility issues, and third-party SDK issues.

A huge thank you to our developer community for helping shape the Android 13 release! You’ve given us thousands of bug reports and shared insights that have helped us optimize APIs, improve features, fix significant bugs, and in general make the platform better for users and developers.

We’re looking forward to seeing your apps on Android 13!

Add shared drives to specific organizational units

What’s changing 

For select Google Workspace editions, admins can now place shared drives into sub organizational units (OUs). Doing so enables admins to configure sharing policies, data regions, access management, and more at a granular level. 


This feature is available now as an open beta, which means you can use the feature without opting-in to a specific program. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why it matters 

Currently, all shared drives reside in the “root” OU. As such, all shared drives are subject to the same policies. This update gives admins the option to move shared drives to sub OUs within their organizations, such as Marketing or Legal, which allows for more control over the privacy and security of the shared drive's contents on a case-by-case basis. For example, admins can restrict sharing of a shared drive belonging to the legal department because it contains highly confidential information. Additionally, this also gives admins more flexibility over applying default sub OUs to newly-created shared drives, assuring each new shared drive subject to appropriate security policies. 


With this update admins will have greater control and more options to control how their data is accessed and shared on a case by case basis. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: Admins can assign shared drives to various OUs using the new “Organizational Unit” column found in Apps > Google Workspace > Drive and Docs > Manage Shared Drives. Visit the Help Center to learn more about shared drives and managing shared drive users and activity.





  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature — the ability to access or share certain files contained in a shared drive will vary. Visit the Help Center to learn more about sharing files in Google Drive. 

Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits customers 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Frontline, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers Not available to users with personal Google Accounts