Google Play Newsstand updated with Handoff support and offline reading of bookmarks

Google has just released a newsworthy update to Google Play Newsstand.

Originally called Google Currents, the Flipboard-like social magazine app was updated to version 3.0 in September with its current name, in line with Google’s use of the name of its digital content distribution platform, Google Play. Google Play Newsstand 3.0 also introduced a gorgeous new design with a new navigation scheme for accessing articles, topics, and subscriptions of digital editions of magazines.

In October, the app was updated with full resolution support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and an improved download progress interface for offline content.

Now, Google Play Newsstand 3.1 is here with a couple of notable features along with a handful of other improvements.

First and foremost, Google Play Newsstand now works with Handoff in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite. This affords the convenience of resuming reading an article and picking up right where you left off on your Mac or another iOS device.

The other significant addition to Google Play Newsstand is offline support for bookmarked articles. This ensures that the articles you’ve bookmarked for reading later or general safekeeping are readily accessible even without an Internet connection.

Google Play Newsstand

The latest update to Google Play Newsstand also includes Dynamic Type support, availability of international topics and sections in the Explore section, and support for 16 additional languages.

Of course, it also brings performance improvements and bug fixes, including a fix for a screen rotation issue on iOS 8.1.

Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad running iOS 7.0 or later, Google Play Newsstand 3.1 is available now on the App Store for free.

Upon its introduction, Google Play Newsstand was called out for being similarly named to Apple’s Newsstand app.

But with the new features and improvements it has just introduced to the app, Google seems intent on distancing Google Play Newsstand from the other Newsstand app’s unfortunate reputation as place where magazines and newspapers go to be forgotten.

In addition to Google Play Newsstand, Google offers the following Google Play-branded apps: Google Play Books, Google Play Movies & TV, and Google Play Music.