Google Play Services 6.5 arrives with Google Fit API, new Maps, Drive, and Wallet developer features

Google is updating Google Play Services, its Android application programming interface (API), to add new features for developers to integrate Google products into their apps.

Google Play Services is the company’s set of features for building apps that connect with Google products such as Maps and Drive. The previous version, 6.1, released in September.

Here are some of the details from Google’s blog post about Play Services 6.5.

Google Maps

The new Google Play Services 6.5 enables app makers to include a map toolbar so that their users can get directions without leaving the app.

It also includes support for a “lite mode” map for displaying smaller, simpler maps — for instance, as thumbnails.

Google Drive

App makers can now add custom file properties to Drive files from their apps. Google says developers can use this to build “very efficient search queries” and also to save information with files that other apps can access.

Google Wallet

It now has support for a “Donate with Google” button in addition to the existing “Buy with Google” option.

Google Fit

Google is adding support for its health- and fitness-oriented software development kit, the Google Fit SDK. In this release of Play Services, Google says it’s making it easier to add activity segments, such as a period of walking or running, as well as to work with Google Fit in other ways.