Googlebooks finally went official this month, but one of its biggest criticisms was that some of its best features didn't work on Samsung Galaxy phones. If you are one of those people who complained about this, the issue has now been fixed.
In a Reddit post, Mishaal Rahman from Google announced Better Together features for Samsung phones running Android 17-based One UI 9.0. According to the post, these features will be rolled out automatically over the next few days as Google Play updates and background service updates.
For those who don't know, Better Together is a suite of cross-device features that lets you start something on your Galaxy or any other supported phone and continue on the Googlebook. It also lets you sync notifications or Do Not Disturb settings, open your phone's apps directly on your laptop, access files from your phone using the Googlebook, and more.
The Better Together suite is what makes Googlebooks' deep integration with Android appealing, but the company had to face the heat because none of those features worked on devices from Android's biggest manufacturer, Samsung. If this was holding you back from buying a Googlebook, it's no longer an issue.
As a reminder, Better Together features aren't limited to Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices. Compatible phones from Oppo, OnePlus, Motorola, Lenovo, Honor, and Sony work together with your Googlebook.
Fresh updates from Google have more to offer
The support for Better Together features for Samsung Galaxy phones isn't the only thing worth mentioning in Rahman's Reddit post. It also highlights a "smoother first-time setup." This will be possible after you install a Google Play Services update that Google plans to release over the next few days.
This is a welcome announcement. Once available, it'll reduce the steps to set up Cross-device services and fix the issue where the QR code stayed on the screen after completing the phone setup. These are quality-of-life improvements, enhancing the overall cross-device experience on Googlebooks.
Your Googlebook and the phone won't work together if you make these mistakes
Firstly, Better Together features aren't exclusive to Android 17, and that means your phone must have it running. If you are using a Galaxy, you need One UI 9 for these features to work. You'll also need to make sure that your phone and Googlebook use the same personal Google Account and have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on.
Google also recommends a standard home Wi-Fi for setting this up. You'll also have to pause any VPNs or network DNS blockers running. Moreover, Google Play Services and the Cross-device services need to be at 26.37 or higher and at 1.0.1346 or higher, respectively. In addition, Continue activity settings, like Tasks, Apps, Notifications, and Files & media sharing, must be turned on.
Google also recommends visiting the updated troubleshooting guide if you want more clarity on fixing cross-device services issues.