As we noted earlier, Google announced an update today to its Android OS for Nexus One phones that would enable the pinch-to-zoom multi-touch feature for the first time in a few Google apps: Maps, Gallery, and the Web Browser. We’ve just received the update, which is technically firmware 2.1-update1, and have taken a video of the new functionality in action.
While some third-party apps have taken advantage of mutli-touch for some time on Android, Google has resisted the feature for its own apps — likely due to an agreement with Apple. But now, all bets appear to be off.
Google notes that most users shouldn’t receive the update until the end of the week as they gradually roll it out, so we were apparently lucky. Watch it in action below, and note how it compares to the iPhone’s multi-touch.
I like it.
my old htc hero browser pinches to zoom for months now.
My sentiment exactly.
One of the things that raise one’s eye brow is the inability of the Nexus Phone to have that “pinch to zoom” capability.
For sure, this update is a godsent for users. Hopefully, this will raise the sales of the N1 phone now.
More details on how to get it without the wait: http://bit.ly/nexus-one-official-ota-details
Is it just me, or is the zooming/unzooming effect trailing the actual pinch motion of his fingers?
Watch the same activity on an iPhone, and the shrinking/growing actually is in sync with the fingers, so it feels like you’re really stretching the object.
My guess is Apple’s patent covers this nicer technique, and therefore Google implemented their pinch/zoom with this delay to work around the patent.
And sometimes it’s not so much “delayed” as just out of sync, like the screen is growing at a rate that is faster than your finger is actually stretching, not a 1:1 mapping, so it seems a little weird.
Yeah I watched the video a few more times, the issue here is the ratio… Apple’s pinching is at 1:1, Google’s isn’t. It seems less natural.
I keep hearing about this mythical patent, do tell where is it? The Pinch to Zoom patent, not some other multi-touch patent.
I also like how you rationalize everything. Just because there is a difference doesn’t mean that the difference has some legal reason.
Finally the Android no-pinch-to-zoom apologists can be rendered moot. (it’s a nice feature, people, and I’m glad to finally get it)
Actually, I am a Nexus One, and never missed the multi-touch.
I always thought double tapping on a column in a web page and have it automatically zoom to exactly fill the screen couldn’t be any simpler.
You’re a Nexus One?
I knew they would gain sentience, but I had no idea it would be so soon.
Oh god.
My thought exactly. My iPhone-toting buddy has seen the webpage zoom and thinks it is more useful.
Pinch2Zoom might be more useful for maps and pics, where the system can’t guess how much zoom you want. (In the browser, the width of the DIV that you tapped will fill the screen).
Well you might want to tell your iPhone-toting buddy that double tapping on a column in a web page and having it automatically zoom to exactly fill the screen has been available on the iPhone for a while now.
Yeah, but when do I get 2.1(.1) for my Droid?
Finally, now HTC needs to work on getting 2.1 to the HTC Droid Eris.
Awesome
Does the Android Droid(Verizon) get this update?
Did I hear MG say that it’s faster than the 3Gs? Hmmm.
Faster as in it zooms in deeper with littler strokes. They both look equally smooth and seamless to me, with the occassional stutter on the Nexus.
This update closes the gap beating the Iphone and Android based devices. I would love to see this running on a touch sensitive PC. Watch out IPAD!
You mean “widens”. The Android already had more features than the iPhone.
Ok now I want a Nexus One too.
Seriously? That was the only thing hold you back? Granted it’s a nice lil feature, but that’s it?
That a boy. Android is the real deal and Google can iterate enterprise products faster than anybody in the biz. iPhone OS? Next please.
You cant be serious. They copy, er excuse “iterate” features that are 3 years old and you call that fast? Hows your Exchange syncing going on your Android OS Mr. Enterprise?
Anyways, iPhone OS 4 is around the corner. If you knew anything, you would know that technology leap frogs, and Android will be leaped over once again.
Still this phone looks ugly. iPhone is way better
Oooh, good one! Cheap looking plastic is soooo much better than metal and teflon coating.
Are you a retard or just talking out of your ass? The N1 is metal, not plastic.
Ooops, I take that back, sorry Mark.
Check your sarcasm meter, seems to be needing recalibration.
Hoping to see that on my Moto Droid soon.
i officially want a nexus one now…this was the only thing i was waiting on..:)
For the love of God get a tripod.
I couldn’t agre more!! The whole time i was like “pull the camera down!! I cant see the bottom half of the phone!” LOL
I only watched 1 min because I couldn’t stand it… (sorry to be a complainer!)
How about putting the cam on something level (like the edge of a desk) and holding the phone. It’s probably easier to keep a phone still than a camera (while operating a phone).
Or do you have any friends? Have a friend hold the camera!
It doesn’t hurt to clean that screen once in a while, MG…
this is definitely the tipping of the scales for me to get a google phone. the pinch zoom and dragging for readability/usability on browsers for mobile phones is a must have. Google phones are much more attractive because they don’t lock down the hardware that you purchased. The iphone is like buying a car, and saying you don’t have access to the trunk.
So why did they wait to enable the multitouch? Any explanation or reasoning?
My guess is Steve Jobs “b%llsh%t” comment last week about Google’s motto probably triggered this.
Apple wants to sue Google on it? Now Google probably just thinks “Bring it on”.
I don’t think pinch to zoom is such a big deal. I prefer 4.8″ 800×480 medium density Archos 5 Internet Tablet, it shows full websites, full pictures, full maps, on a 2x larger screen with 2.5x more resolution (at normal density), thus zooming is much less required and the device is still very pocketable.
I recommend all wait for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona 2 weeks from now, I expect we will see Nexus Two, Three and Four unveiled there.
I think something a little more than personal politics and a comment made to employees is enough for Google to decide to enable multitouch. I know everyone likes a good drama but there must be some legal, engineering, marketing, or other explanation…Anyone?
And i think you’re repeating something you heard in the radio waves. Seriously doubt that they were sitting there like “Jobs said what!? Oh now they’re gonna get it! It’s time. Sergey, on my count…3…2…1…press the big red button!”
Apple has patents on uses of some gestures (like pinch to zoom) and they know google ( or android developers) are the only ones who can innovate in this area. This was dangerous for their new iPad which uses pinch in new ways.
Apple told google to hold on with the gestures and multitouch until the iPad announcement so they could innovate with gestures without fear of being called android copycats.
Thats why they got green light now.
Wait so your explanation is that Google did Apple a favor? I’m very doubtful that could ever happen. Why would Google go out of their way for Apple?
Remember that “rumor” about bing being the default search engine in the iPhone ?
Yeah, it was a pretty stupid rumor I’d say. Apple is no fan of Microsoft they would not punish their customers and force them to use Bing.
Of course they would not do it, maybe the rumor was kind a threat to google.
Remember when Eric Schmidt was on their Board of Directors?
Apple and Google used to be such a cute couple. Real shame.
Wow, that video was filmed very poorly. Was it impossible to keep the phones centered to the screen? Was very frustrating to watch, as if you thought we would only want to see the top half of the phones.
Looks very slick, very fast. I’m really wanting a Nexus Now.
(next time, please use a stand for you video camera, half the time your hand had wandered so the action was out of the frame.)
I AM SHAKYCAM!!!!
Next time, please use a tripod for the camera!
This is actually the first time I’ve seen an Android OS in action. Looks like a total iPhone ripoff. From the spread-to-zoom right down to the finger smudgies.
If by rip-off you mean, leap-up
No, actually. I mean huge ripoff as evidenced by the swipe to unlock, pinch to zoom out, virtual keyboard, ‘apps,’ and overall iPhonyness.
I’m no fanboy, but you have to admit that Apple was the trendsetter here. Unless Google/HTC can innovate beyond the framework laid out by Apple, they’ll forever be stuck in the fruit shadow.
Are you stupid? There is nothing iphonish about Android. Stop watching a short video and make stupid accusations.
First off, they added pinch to zoom so of course it’s going to be similar. Virtual keyboard? are you serious? You DO know the iphone is not the first one to have it either right?
Apps? wtf did you know the iphone copied this model from the sidekick? I guess you wouldn’t know since all you think about is the iphone.
swipe to unlock? umm many phones have it before too.
There are many differences. From notification drop downs, folders, and desktop icons that BLOW the shit out of the iphone.
Since this is the first time you have seen an Android in action and all you know is the iPhone, that’s all you see. When you start using it, you will realize that there are a ton of things that the Android does that are not possible on the iPhone – multitasking, better state management, far superior notification system, widgets, keyboards….
So Siegler, now it’s worst because its faster? It can’t just be different?
Jesus man, hop of the apple nuts. You’re riding them hard and everyone can tell.
*worse
I really hope Apple sues Google over these patent infringements. From what I see Android is simply copying the iPhone – go go innovation.
Here goes the apple fanboys starting to shake…….
guess apple should be sued for stealing the touchscreen idea
Hmm, the Android SDK was out before the iPhone’s. I suppose Google could sue Apple for having ‘apps’.
Or I guess Nokia, Microsoft, etc. could just sue both of them.
Clean your damn phone.
Here is how to force update the Nexus One with the multitouch update http://bit.ly/bRpmTe Worked great for me.
Please get a table top tripod for the camera. PLEASE!
Anyone else notice the difference in formatting between the Nexus web browser and the iPhone when they were compared side by side? The iPhone looked like continuous text down the page while the Nexus seemed to be interrupted with ads or some kind of green block.
Is this because the iPhone browser was interpreted as a mobile device and the Nexus was not?
The iPhone browser increases the text size. The Android browser can as well, but it doesn’t by default.
MG, is your nexus a Tmobile one or an unlocked device?
its great than android supports this is its standard applications now. the iPhone has so much pressure to get better, and as an iPhone user for years now I am hoping that Apple comes up with something big or they are gonna lose some people….myself included
p.s. please use a tripod…
Wow, I wish I had ‘mutli-touch’ on my phone, however I would settle for a spell-checker.