Google Plus for Android gets big update with completely new UI, Stories, and more

Google just released a substantial update to the Google Plus Android app, bringing a fresh new user interface, improvements, and new features.

Google Plus 4.4.0.67576161 is now rolling out to the first users, but you can grab the download from below. The first thing you will notice when installing the update is the completely revamped user interface, which may be an indication of the direction other Google apps are heading to. The left sliding side menu is gone, there’s a nice red header, there’s a brand new post creation interface, and the entire interface is fresh and smoothly animated.

In a post on Google Plus, Dave Besbris (who took over Plus leadership from Vic Gundotra), detailed nine new features included in the new Android app. The biggest is probably the new Stories feature, which is also coming to the web and iOS apps soon. Stories are travelogues that Google Plus automatically creates for your using your pics, videos, and location information. Think of it as a nice slideshow you put together for your family trip, complete with captions. Here’s an example.

Another new feature is Auto Awesome Movies, which Plus automatically generate from your videos, combining them and adding soundtracks and transitions.

The new Google Plus is now better at handling large photo libraries, and offers the ability to browse your entire library by date. It also displays profile views, just like the web app, though you can turn it off from the settings.

Finally, the update puts some of the Auto Awesome magic to your fingertips, allowing you to create animated GIFs and photobooth-style collages manually.

Download the APK of the updated Google Plus here, or head over to the Play Store to install the app.