Android finally lets you delete your recent Google search history

You no longer have to prune your Google app search history by hand if you’re an Android user. Google confirmed to The Verge that it’s rolling out the option to delete the last 15 minutes of search history in its namesake Android app. Tap your profile icon and you should see a “delete last 15 min” if the feature is available.

The option should reach everyone within the “next few weeks,” according to Google representative Ned Adriance. Esper’s Mishaal Rahman and Twitter user Pan Du first noticed the history control last week.

This has been a long time in coming, to put it mildly. Google first announced the 15-minute feature at I/O 2021, and delivered it first to iOS users in July of that year. Android users were supposed to receive the update later that year. It’s not certain what prompted the delay. Still, you’ll likely appreciate the addition if you need to quickly hide a gift shopping expedition or (ahem) risqué searches.

Google Home app updates bring simpler controls and improved privacy

The Google Home app should soon be more convenient — and familiar, if you’re an Android user. Google is rolling out updates to Home for Android and iOS that should provide more powerful controls even as they remove some of the clutter. Most notably, you’ll see simpler, Android 11-inspired smart home controls in the main view over the weeks ahead. You can tap devices to turn them on, use sliders to quickly dim lights or raise a speaker’s volume and long-press if you need more control.

Privacy will also improve. As of this week, you’ll find a settings section that lets you manage privacy controls, Assistant data and home activity within the Google Home app. You won’t have to hop between software to set tighter restrictions.

Another update arriving by the end of March will help you parse what’s happening in your household. The home feed will automatically sort events and group anything that happened within a short space of time. You won’t have to slog through multiple status updates if the neighbor’s dog repeatedly set off your Nest Cam, for example. All told, you might have more reasons to delve into the Home app rather than relying on voice controls and notifications.

Google is removing the Movies & TV section from the Play Store

Google gave its TV app an overhaul last year, redesigning its interface and turning it into a hub for your streaming needs. In the near future, it will also serve as Google’s official home for movies and TV shows you can rent or purchase. While you can already do those now within the TV app, you can also still find movies and TV shows to buy from within the Google Play Store. In May 2022, though, Google will remove the Movies & TV tab from the Play Store menu at the bottom of its interface and will only continue selling apps, games and books.

If you haven’t taken a look at the new Google TV app yet, you’ll see a Shop tab where you can find all the titles the tech giant offers. Everything you pay for will be found in the Library tab, and all purchased content will be there indefinitely — you can either stream it or download it. Take note that you can still use Play credit and Play gift cards for transactions within the app and all your purchases are still eligible for family sharing and Google Play Points. Plus, you can still view and request refunds for your TV app purchases on Google Play. The only difference is that, if there’s a title you want to watch, you’ll soon have to fire up the dedicated Google TV app instead of Play Store to find it. 

Shazam’s new feature makes it easy to find and buy tickets for nearby concerts

Now that pandemic restrictions have started lifting, people are eager to go back to the activities they used to do, such as seeing live music performances. Shazam has launched a new feature meant to make it easier to find shows nearby, so music lovers don’t miss events they can easily go to. Starting today, when users Shazam a song or search for it in the app or on the website, they’ll also see relevant concert information and tickets on sale for upcoming shows near their location.

If they have a specific artist in mind, though, they can simply launch the new Shazam Artist page on the platform and see the dates, times and locations of upcoming performances. Tapping on any of them will show additional tour or show information, along with the ability to add any event to their calendar. Shazam uses information from concert discovery app Bandsintown for this feature, and musicians who want the service to display their event details will have to make the information available via Bandsintown For Artists.

Shazam’s new concert feature is now available on iOS and Android. “Shazam has a long history of innovation in music discovery and connecting artists and fans,” Apple VP for Apple Music and Beats Oliver Schusser said. “With the reemergence of live music, we’re excited to give Shazam users access to concerts and bring even more discoverability to artists.” Apple, which purchased Shazam back in 2018, said last year that the app IDs over a billion songs per month. With this feature, Shazam has taken its music discovery service to another level. 

Citizen may test an on-demand private security service in Chicago

Citizen will reportedly test an on-demand private security service in Chicago as part of a partnership with Securitas. The crime alert app and security company may offer a check-in service (in which agents could follow up with the victim of a crime to make sure they’re OK) and scheduled private security, according to Motherboard.

The app previously tested a rapid-response security service (not unlike a private police force) in Los Angeles with Citizen-branded cars. Security agents responded to calls from Citizen employees. Motherboard‘s sources suggested the response time was fairly slow, which may have led to the company taking a different approach in Chicago.

Citizen provides push alerts to users based on incident reports it puts together from police scanners. It also runs a $20 per month subscription service that connects users with agents who can direct emergency services to their location and notify contacts if it’s not safe for them to call 911 directly.

The move suggests Citizen is still interested in offering private security despite its questionable history and stating it wouldn’t run its own on-demand force (though it didn’t rule out partnerships). Apple and Google removed a previous version of the app, which was called Vigilante, from their stores for encouraging vigilantism. 

Last year, it was reported that Citizen’s CEO offered users a $30,000 bounty for tracking down an alleged arson suspect, but the app identified the wrong person as the culprit. Police apprehended the man but quickly released him for a lack of evidence. They later arrested another suspect in connection with the wildfires.