Google+ App First Impressions

Will Google+ blow Facebook out of the social networking arena? We're not so certain. What we are certain of is that the popular social network is expanding rapidly. The network has gained a user base of over 20 million and its iPhone app is already one of the top apps in the App Store.

Unfortunately, like Facebook, Google+ is lacking an official iPad app that's designed to embrace the device's larger screen size. A few savvy users enough were swift enough to get a sneak peek into Facebook for iPad before Facebook disabled logins from the device.

So what's Google+ for iOS all about? Well, the iPhone app is a solid little companion to Google+ for the web. Its simple interface boasts options to access your stream, huddle, photos, profile, and circles from your mobile device. The bottom bar contains your notifications bar, which can also be sent to you through push notification. While strikingly similar to its companion web app, it is evident that the developers placed an emphasis on creating a speedy and stable mobile app by omitting the animations and effects you'd otherwise notice when using the web app.

The app takes advantage of basic swipe gestures to make browsing quick and enjoyable. Check-ins are made simple when you choose to share your location with those in your circles. The photos are scrollable by the album, and photos can be tapped upon to open an enlarged view. While the app may lag at times (although less frequently than its competitors), everything feels quite seamless and user-friendly. While the app's features are far from fancy, they are effective and provide the functionality any Google+ user would expect.

If you're looking for more granular controls over shared content, access to Facebook-like features straight from your Google account, and a snappy mobile app to access these features from, Google+ may be just the solution. Having said that, we're a bit bummed that the iPad was neglected during launch and wonder which popular social network will be the first to release an official iPad app. With the increasing popularity of the iPad, the time is now.

We'll be sure to keep you posted when either Facebook or Google+ release a native iPad app. Stay tuned!