Google Play Services 4.2 Release
Article Summary
Google just unified its entire Android services SDK model. If you've been juggling multiple client classes across Maps, Drive, and Cast APIs, this changes everything.
Google Play Services 4.2 introduces a fundamental shift in how developers integrate Google services into Android apps. The release also graduates the Google Cast SDK from preview to production and stabilizes the Google Drive API after its 4.1 developer preview.
Key Takeaways
- New unified Google API client replaces separate client classes for each service
- Google Cast SDK now production ready with full publishing control
- Google Drive API graduated from preview with performance improvements
- Single client model simplifies multi service integration across apps
Critical Insight
Developers can now build apps using Google services through one unified client API instead of managing separate connections for each service.
