Google Drive Getting New Updates. Video Loading Time Will Be Reduced & Search Experience Will Improve

After these updates, there'll be an improvement in the amount of time it takes from clicking play to starting playback and a reduction in re-buffering when playing the video at normal or higher speeds

Google says the new features are currently available to Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers and those with personal Google accounts.

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Storing documents or media files online is probably one of the most common trends nowadays. The first and foremost reason behind this practice is the easy switch between devices. Say you are switching from an old phone to a new phone for any reason whatsoever. Earlier when cloud spaces were not that common then the process that we used to follow was that we would transfer all files/photos/videos via large file-sharing apps like ShareIt or Xender or we would use Bluetooth for the same. But now we just upload our files on Google Drive and all we have to do after switching to a new device is to log in with our Gmail ID on that device and Voila! We have every file that we need on the new phone without any hassle.

In order to make it more convenient for us, Google Drive is now getting a new update to improve the video loading time. Google also announced that it is ‘enhancing search’ within the app. In a blog post, the tech giant said that it is adding support for Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP, also known as DASH. This new functionality enables adaptive bitrate playback and automatically changes video resolution depending on the quality of the network.

What Difference Will These Updates Make?

Google states that these modifications will lead to a reduction in the time elapsed from clicking play to the initiation of playback and a decrease in re-buffering during video playback at normal or higher speeds.

The application of DASH will be automatic for new videos uploaded on Google Drive, with the company aiming to update existing videos by the end of the year.

Apart from optimising video loading times, Google is also enhancing the search experience on iOS devices, with Android app support expected at a later date. The Google Drive search bar will now include three new filters – Type, People, and Modified. The People tab displays files from recent contacts, Type categorises files by type, and Modified lists them based on date recency.

Google mentions that these new features are presently accessible to Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.