Google Docs on Android gets new gestures, @mention support for comments

Google Docs on Android is getting the @mentions popularised by Twitter.

What you need to know

• Google is making it easier to work collaboratively on its mobile suite of apps.
• It’s adding a clearer comment interface, as well as an @ mention support for comments.
• The update is available to all users; G Suite or otherwise.

Google Docs has grown into a contender for Office’s place as the de facto online productivity suite, and the company’s improving its support for collaboration with update to its mobile apps.

Here’s what Google says is new:

• Larger, clearer interface to make it easier to see comments and their context in a document.
• Shortcuts and gestures to help you quickly scroll through and respond to multiple comments.
• Quick access button to reply, “@” mention someone, and assign action items.

This update to the commenting interface will come to Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets for Android. As more and more users are working remotely, making it easier to deliver feedback and wore on the same document without switching to a different device is an understated feature.The @mention feature especially, once mostly used by Twitter, has now become a staple of productivity apps where collaboration is key,. Bringing it to Google’s suite of productivity apps will improve its cachet in that area.

The Google Docs update will be rolling out from June 9 to all G Suite and Google account users.

Google Docs

Free at Play Store

You’re probably not going to be writing a magnum opus on your phone — but if you are — Google Docs lets you keep it synced with all your devices via the cloud.