If you haven’t heard yet, Google+ is Google’s shiny new full blown take on social networking. If you have been so lucky as to be part of the initial field test, there is an official Android app now available on the market. For the rest of us, we can take a quick peek at what the app will offer once the service has rolled out for public consumption, whenever that may be.

Google+ is obviously a bit of a big deal. Of course what social networking service would be complete without a mobile app or two. Google+ will be bringing several of the key features to your Android phone in a neat, pretty package to help you get hooked on the new service. The main features are your Stream, Circles, Huddles, and Instant Upload.

One of the big differentiating points for Google+ is that it will let you divide your friends into “Circles,” something any high schooler who is friends with their grandma will tell you is a great idea. The Circles feature of the app lets you share statuses, pictures, etc. with your particular groups of friends. Likewise, you’ll be able to view all of your friends, from any Circle’s updates in the Stream.

Huddle, pictured below, is for group chats, and if the Market’s description is to be trusted, its fast. This is probably what I’m most excited about for Google+ in general. Huddles will be part of the Google+ app, but a seperate Huddle+ app is installed with it. Texting multiple people on Android, or any smartphone isn’t very clean and this looks like it just might be. We’ll have to see if it can live up to my expectations whenever Google decides to let me into the party.

The last major feature is Instant Upload. This will let you upload any pictures and videos you take on your phone automatically to the Google+. The app has permissions to Picasa albums, so it may just be storing them there, but you will be able to view and share them from Google+ as well as the app.

If this app doesn’t have you convinced yet, Google’s serious about this one. What do you think? Are you ready to replace your Facebook app with a Google+ app? Or do you need to give it a try first? Either way you can bet if Android continues to be a big part of it we’re excited to see how things shape up!

[via Android Market]

6 COMMENTS

  1. Just don’t know if this will end up like wave and buzz.

    As much as I love the fact that it is already avaible on 2.1+ Android I guess for this to work google MUST develop an iphone app really fast, and better than facebook.

    The socialnetwork battle is already well developed and it will be REALLY hard to top twitter and facebook

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