Google Play Services updated to 4.1

The latest release of Google Play Services has begun rolling out to users across the globe which includes new Turn Based Multi-player support for games and a preliminary API for integrating Google Drive into your apps. This 4.1 update also improves the battery life for all users with Google Location Reporting enabled. Once the roll-out has fully completed, you will be able to download the SDK using the Android Software Development Kit Manager and commence with the new API’s.

Google Drive :

This version of Google Play Services includes a developer preview of the new Google Drive API for Android so from now on you can use it to easily read and write files in Google Drive so they can be made available across multiple devices. Files can be worked on during offline mode too and the changes are synced with Google Drive automatically when they reconnect. The Application Programming Interface also includes common user interface components which includes a file picker and save dialog.

Turn Based Multi-player :

Play Games now supports turn-based multi-player by which Android developers can build asynchronous games to play with friends and auto-matched players which can support anywhere between 2-8 players for each game. As an when the player takes a turn, their respective data is uploaded to Play Services and shared instantly with other players. It is just taken to a better level by making it sort of a gaming network. In addition, there is an optional new “Connecting to Play Games” animation during sign-in before the permission pop-up appears on the screen.

Google Mobile Ads :

With Google Play Services 4.1, the Google Mobile Ads Software Development Kit fully supports DoubleClick for Publishers, DoubleClick Ad Exchange and even Search Ads for Mobile Apps. Users can also use a new publisher-provided location API to provide Google with the location when requesting ads.

Google+ :

Google+ sharing experience has improved with this update which makes it even easier for users to share with the right people from the Google+ Android app.

Source : Android Developers Blog