Important policy updates for Early Access apps starting July 30, 2024

What’s changing 

To ensure organizations’ continued access to services, we're changing the way Early Access apps transition to Additional Google Services:


Currently, when an Early Access app becomes an Additional Google Service, it is turned on or off by default based on your new services preference in the Admin console. This occurs even if the Early Access apps service status is set to On for everyone. 


Starting July 30, 2024, if you have an Early Access app service set to On, you won’t lose access to the app when it transitions to an additional service, regardless of your new service preferences. These apps will only be turned off if both settings are set to Off.


Additional details

Google AI Studio will transition from an Early Access app to an Additional Google Service on July 30, 2024. Access to AI Studio will be based on the information outlined above. We recommend that you double-check your settings ahead of time to ensure access to AI Studio is configured as you see fit.

Getting started


Rollout pace

  • The updated policy will take effect for all Google Workspace customers on July 30, 2024. 


Availability

  • This update impacts all Google Workspace customers.

Resources


Adding a ‘missing’ grade state to Gradebook in Google Classroom

What’s changing 

In the last year, we’ve added new features, such as disabling submissions after a due date in Google Classroom and excusing assignments in Google Classroom, in order to give teachers even more flexibility when it comes to grading for assignments and classwork. 

Today, we're improving support for missing assignments in gradebook by giving teachers the ability to manually mark an assignment as ‘missing’ or ‘complete’ and automatically add a default draft score. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • By default, all missing assignments will automatically receive a draft score of ‘0’. However, teachers can adjust the default draft score or turn OFF the automated scoring feature. 
    • Assignments that displayed the ‘missing’ labels prior to this update will be automatically updated and receive the draft score. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about grading & returning an assignment. 

Rollout pace 

  • Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 2, 2024 

Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts 

Resources 

Announcing the Merchant API Beta, the new version of the Content API for Shopping

Today we're announcing the release of the Merchant API Beta. This is the newest version of the Content API for Shopping which comes with exciting new features. The Merchant API is a redesign of the Content API for Shopping which can help you showcase your products with new features, modular design with isolated sub-API updates, and improved alignment with Google's API improvement proposals. We invite you to try out the Merchant API Beta to provide early feedback so we can improve the Merchant API for you.

For more information, we highly recommend reviewing the launch status for Merchant API Beta expectations and see the following sections.

Highlights:
You can find a complete list of features in the release notes in the GRPC/REST reference sections and accompanying compatibility guides, but here are the highlights:
  • Sub APIs with new features at launch: We are excited to announce an initial set of sub apis which comes with new features:
    • Data Sources: Allows multiple API feed creation and management, improved management of supplemental feeds via creation with linking to primary feeds, and support for other shopping feeds such as promotions.
    • Notifications: Receive push notifications for changes to a given account and product data.
    • Products: Unifying Product & ProductStatuses resources to streamline your workflow, new functionality to support inserting products into non API data sources.
    • Inventory: Improved management with the ability to remove in-store or regional inventories for your products.
    • Accounts: New terms of signing (ToS) functionality via the API and accessing account issues with multi-language support.
    • Local Feeds Partnership: For Point-of-sale data providers, more granular inventory management with availability status submissions and feed labels for inventory.
    • Promotions: Simplified promotion statuses with improved details and support for custom promotion attributes for faster iterations on new features.
    • Quota: Additional fields such as version, sub-api, and adjustments visible through the API to manage your quotas more efficiently.
    • Reports: A new NonProductPerformanceView table which provides insights into non-product performance data such as data on links leading to merchants’ homepage.
  • Merchant API is the future. Going forward, we will start launching new features primarily for the Merchant API which will have the newest Merchant Center features. We recommend you start using the Merchant API and would love to hear your feedback to help shape the future.
  • More features are on the way! Today's release contains many new improvements. Currently, there isn’t feature completeness between the Content API and Merchant API. We will have more features upcoming which are based on establishing parity, your feedback, and completely new features such as creation of file feeds with the Data source Merchant API.
Learn more and check out the following resources:
Benji Rothman, on behalf of the Content API for Shopping Team

Dev Channel Update for ChromeOS / ChromeOS Flex

Hello All,

The Dev channel has been updated to 128.0.6558.0 (Platform version: 15936.0.0) for most ChromeOS devices.

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

Interested in switching channels? Find out how.


Google ChromeOS 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 28, 2024

3 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.


Your users can now express interest in Gemini for Google Workspace 
We’re introducing a simple way for Workspace end users to request a Gemini license from their admins on the Gemini for Google Workspace homepage. To send this request, Workspace end users simply select ‘Get Started’ from the Gemini for Google Workspace marketing page, then click on ‘Ask my admin’ and complete the request form. Super admins will receive this request by email, and from there they can choose to purchase a Gemini license in the Admin console.

Admins will have the option to disable these requests prior to this update. Admins can do so in the Admin console by going to Account > Account Settings > Gemini for Google Workspace, and deselecting the ‘User-requested upgrades’ setting— use this article in our Help Center for more information. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains. | Learn more about Gemini for Workspace, including our recent Gemini for Workspace announcements.

Multi-account support now available for Google Keep on large screen Android devices
Last year, we introduced multi-instance support for Google Keep on large screen Android devices. To take this a step further, we’re now allowing multiple accounts to be used at the same time on the same device in Keep. Having two windows open side-by-side enables better insight into your notes and gives you more ways to work with, display, and organize your content across multiple accounts. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. 
Multi-account support now available for Google Keep on large screen Android devices

Updates for Gemini for Workspace usage reports in the Admin console
Recently, we introduced Gemini for Workspace usage reports in the Admin console. Beginning today, we’re introducing additional updates for these reports: 
  • Usage reports are now available for Gemini Education and Gemini Education Premium customers. 
  • Admins can filter usage reports by OU and Groups. 
Admins can access these reports via Admin console under Menu > Generative AI > Gemini reports. | Also available to Google Workspace customers with the Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business add-ons. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains. | Learn more about reviewing Gemini usage in your organization.
Updates for Gemini for Workspace usage reports in the Admin console


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.


Google Classroom add-ons now generally available to Google Workspace developers 
Classroom add-ons generally available to all developers. These complement other Classroom API features and let educators and students experience content without having to leave Google Classroom. | Learn more about Classroom add-ons. 

Manage access to eSignature in Google Workspace 
The admin control for Google Workspace’s eSignature feature is live for select Google Workspace editions. Admins can control users’ ability to request signatures before eSignature rolls out to end users in the coming weeks. | Learn more about eSignature in Google Workspace. 

Gemini in the side panel of Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive is rolling out now 
We’re pleased to announce the general availability of Gemini in the side panel of Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. Learn more about the side panel in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive and Gmail. 

Bringing our Learning Interoperability Tools under one umbrella: Google Workspace LTI™ 
Going forward, all Learning Interoperability Tools, including Assignments LTI™, and Google Drive LTI™, will be consolidated into a single category: Google Workspace LTI™. | Learn more about Google Workspace LTI™. 

Introducing Colab Pro and Colab Pro+ for Google Workspace 
Currently, Google Workspace admins can turn Colab on for their users, allowing them to access the free version of Colab. This week, we announced the Colab Pro and Colab Pro+ standalone subscriptions for Google Workspace customers. | Learn more about Colab for Google Workspace. 

Grading periods API for Google Classroom is now available in Developer Preview
Grading period endpoints and capabilities in the Classroom API are now available through the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. | Learn more about the Grading periods API. 

Additional admin space management capabilities in Google Chat API are now available in Developer Preview Program 
We’re pleased to announce more space management capabilities, such as the ability to look up details about specific space, update space details, and more. | Learn more about admin space management capabilities in Google Chat API. 

Improving calculation speed in Google Sheets 
We recently announced the latest advancements in Sheets, including that we’ve doubled the speed of calculation in Google Sheets on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers. This update can improve the speed of actions like formulas, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and more, regardless of your file size. | Learn more about Sheets calculations. 

Add up to 500,000 members to spaces in Google Chat 
To provide greater flexibility and inclusiveness for larger organizations, we’re excited to announce that starting today, spaces can now have up to 500,000 members. | Learn more about large spaces in Chat.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.


Rapid Release Domains: 
Scheduled Release Domains: 
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains: 

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

#WeArePlay | 4 stories of founders building apps for the LGBTQIA+ community

Posted by Robbie McLachlan, Developer Marketing

#WeArePlay celebrates the inspiring journeys of people behind apps and games on Google Play. In honor of Pride Month, we are highlighting founders who have built tools to empower the LGBTQIA+ community. From dating apps to mental health tools, to storytelling platforms - these founders are paving the way for more inclusive technology.


npckc is a game creator from Kanto, Japan whose stories portray the trans experience

npckc – Game Creator, Kanto, Japan

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, npckc is a trilingual translator based in Japan. A self-taught programmer, they create games that feature stories and characters which are often from marginalized communities. One such game is "one night, hot springs" where players follow Haru, a trans woman, as she embarks on a visit to the hot springs. Players have praised the game's realistic portrayal of trans experiences and the relaxing music composed by npckc's partner, sdhizumi. As a finalist in Google Play's Indie Games Festival in Japan, they hope to attend more gaming conventions to connect with fellow developers in person.


Anshul and Rohan from Mumbai, India built a mental health support app geared to the LGBTQIA+ community’s needs

Anshul and Rohan – App Creators, Mumbai, India

After Anshul returned to India from London, he met Rohan and the pair bonded over their mental health struggles. Together they shared a dream; to create something in the wellness space. This became Evolve, an app with guided meditations, breathing exercises, and daily affirmations. When the pandemic hit, the pair saw first-hand how underserved the LGBTQIA+ community was in mental health support. For Rohan, who identifies as a gay man, this realization hit close to home. Together, Anshul and Rohan redeveloped Evolve towards the LGBTQIA+ community’s specific needs - building a safe space where users can share their experiences, seek mentorship, and build a supportive community.


BáiYù from Indiana, U.S. created a platform to publish authentic, queer visual novels and indie games

BáiYù – Game Creator, Indiana, USA

Queer developer BáiYù loves writing stories, and started making games at age 16. Part of a game-development community, BáiYù wanted an affordable way to help get their creations out. So they set up Project Ensō, publishing queer visual novels and narrative indie games. With 10 titles on Google Play, BáiYù supports other developers from under-represented groups to share their own authentic stories on Project Ensō, even polishing their games before release. The most popular title on Project Ensō is “Yearning: A Gay Story”, in which gamers play a newly-out gay man navigating his freshman year of college. BáiYù's efforts have had a profound impact on players, with many sharing how these games have positively transformed their lives.


Alex and Jake from Nevada, U.S. built an inclusive dating app and social community for everyone

BáiYù – Game Creator, Indiana, USA

Alex and Jake grew up in an environment that didn’t accept the LGBTQIA+ community. They started building apps together after a mutual friend introduced them. When they realized that queer people were looking for a platform that offered support and meaningful connections, they created Taimi. Taimi is not just a dating app for LGBTQIA+ people; it's also a social network where they can bond, build community, and feel safe. Alex and Jake are also proud to partner with NGOs that provide mental health support for the community.


Discover more stories of app and game creators in #WeArePlay.



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