(Cross-posted on Google Apps Developer Blog)

Posted by Hodie Meyers, Product Manager, Google Drive and Steve Bazyl, Developer Programs Engineer, Google Apps

Last year, we announced the deprecation of Google Drive web hosting for users and developers, and that the service will be shut down on August 31, 2016. We’d like to remind remaining users that websites hosted via googledrive.com/host/[id] will become unavailable from that date.

For those who haven’t switched yet, please consider the following alternatives.

• Google Drive API: If you’re using the web hosting feature to provide logged-in users access to public Drive items, you can use the API instead.
• Firebase Hosting: If you’re using the web hosting feature to provide users access to static web pages whose content lives on Drive, you can migrate to Firebase by uploading the content to Firebase and serving pages via Firebase-specific URLs.  Please see this video to learn more!
• Google Cloud Platform: If you’re already a Google Cloud Platform customer, we recommend migrating to Google Cloud Platform static-website hosting.

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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In order to deploy two-step verification (2SV) to your organizations, you need to have insight into which end users have and have not enrolled for the feature. Starting today, you can view the real-time status of an individual user’s enrollment in 2SV directly from the user list in the Admin console. To get started, you’ll need to add the 2-step verification enrollment column to the Users page.









For more details and instructions, check out the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: View user security settings and revoke access

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Check out the latest "What's New in Google Apps" newsletter [pdf] for a roundup of all Apps launches from June 2016.

Newsletter Archive & Translated Versions (coming soon for June issue)


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Google Apps Password Sync (GAPS) version 1.6 is now available for download:

What’s New

• Added support for Windows Server Core 2008 and 2012 installations. 
• Added Service Account support for Google Apps authentication. This is required for Core Server installations and is optional on non-Core Server installations. 
• GAPS can now be installed and configured from the command line. 
• LDAP configuration can now use the GAPS service security context removing the need to provide Active Directory administrator credentials. 
• Improved error messages in the configuration wizard. 
• Added crash reporting. These are stored on the GAPS server and not transmitted to Google.
• Windows Server 2003 is no longer supported. 

What’s Fixed

• The GAPS UI now correctly displays an egg timer icon while performing tasks triggered by other actions such as the user pressing the Previous, Next and Authorize Now buttons. 
• GAPS will retry network timeouts and 5xx server errors encountered when trying to refresh its OAuth access token. 
• Users who are not Windows domain admins can no longer start the GAPS configuration wizard. Previously, they could open the wizard but receive an error when trying to save the configuration. 

Launch Details
Release track: 
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action: 
Admin action required (download the latest version)

More Information
Help Center


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Today, when someone leaves a comment or suggestion on one of your Google documents, spreadsheets, or presentations, you receive an email notification. With this update, you can now choose to receive comment notifications on your Android device and web browser as well.

Notifications will follow the same rules as your existing notification settings, so there’s no need to update settings. Web browser notifications are controlled in the Drive settings menu and are off by default.

Note: You will only receive Android notifications if you have the latest Google Drive for Android app.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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We’re excited to announce that the ”What’s New in Google Apps” site has been redesigned and relaunched as part of apps.google.com. The What’s New site has a slick new look and feel and brings together many helpful resources in one location.

Be sure to update your bookmarks with the new page locations (redirects from the old pages are in place as well):

• ”What’s New in Google Apps” home page 
• Google Apps release calendar 
• What’s New in Google Apps newsletter archive
• What’s New for Apps Admins video archive 

The Google Apps release calendar itself is unchanged, but, if you haven’t already, be sure to add it to your own calendar and subscribe for notifications when calendar launch release dates change.

We hope you like the new home for Google Apps launch resources!


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Today, we’re announcing that as of September 26, 2016, we will discontinue support for Google Apps Lookup.

Google Apps Lookup was used for viewing the Global Directory on devices using Android 2.1 (Eclair) to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Newer versions of Android include Global Directory lookup functionality built directly into the native contacts app.

We recommend Apps admins to: 

1. Identify users running Android 2.1 (Eclair) to 2.3 (Gingerbread) on your domain that may be affected by this announcement. If you are managing devices on your domain, you can use the “os:android” search operator to filter and sort users with devices on Android 2.2 (Froyo) to 2.3 (Gingerbread). Note: It is not possible to search for devices running Android 2.1 (Eclair), from the Admin console, as Device Policy is not available for this version of Android. 
2. Assist users in updating to a newer version of Android via software update or find alternative contacts/Global Directory apps from Google Play. 

Users may check which version of Android they are using from their device, under Settings > About phone > Android version, or a similar location.

Users who have already installed Google Apps Lookup prior to September 26, 2016, will still be able to use the application. However, on September 26, 2016, support for this app will be discontinued and Google Apps Lookup will no longer be available from Google Play. Google Apps Lookup functionality cannot be guaranteed beyond September 26, 2016.

Launch Details 
Release track:
Support will end for both Rapid release and Scheduled release on September 26, 2016 

Rollout pace: 
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Admin action required


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is an XML standard that allows secure web domains to exchange user authentication and authorization data. Google Apps for Work acts as an Identity Provider using SAML 2.0. With SAML, a user can use their Google Apps credentials to sign in to enterprise cloud applications via Single Sign-On (SSO).

In the Admin console today, you can track the creation, modification, and deployment of SAML applications by Apps administrators (under Reports > Audit > Admin). With this launch, you can now audit end-user events as well: successful SAML login and failed SAML login. You can see the audit trail on these events under Reports > Audit > SAML in the Admin console. This audit trail helps significantly with the debugging of runtime errors and the monitoring of user login events. It also provides information on error type, as well as OU-level filters that can enhance search capability.



Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: SAML audit log

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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In May, we launched Mobile Audit, which audits activities on iOS and Android devices managed by Google Mobile Management, and which allows Apps admins to view reports on these activities and to receive alerts when certain activities take place. Today, we’re introducing Insights, a centralized location where admins can perform each of those actions. Located in the Device Management area of the Admin console, it features three sections: Mobile Reports, Mobile Audit, and Mobile Alerts. Check it out today, and refer to the Help Center for more information on Google Mobile Management.

NOTE: This feature is available for Google Apps Unlimited customers only.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Get insights on your domain’s mobile devices

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates