Though no announcement has been made yet on the official Google Docs blog, it looks like the cloud-based office suite will be getting the ability to play music and even create playlists. The Google Operating System blog, which has no affiliation with the search giant, has uncovered hints in the service’s source code that point to more media capabilities, particularly references to a “preview pane” and “playlist” in the code.
The development comes a week after Google announced that Google Docs was getting the ability to play video. The consumer-focused features would seem to go against Google’s positioning of Docs as a business service competing with Microsoft Office. But Adobe has made a similar pitch to businesses with the inclusion of media capabilities in its Acrobat Pro product, which can play audio audio and video within “portfolios.”
The Google Operating System blog also has sniffed out a couple more upcoming Google Docs features by examining the code and scanning the Web, including support for third-party apps and a new test interface. PCMag contacted Google for a comment on the features, but the company did not respond by press time.
In any case, Google Docs is a constantly moving target, with new features appearing almost weekly. In addition to the video player announced last week, the service recently added drag-and-drop, editing on the iPad, a plug-in for Microsoft Office, and revisions for spreadsheets. A lot of this is playing catch-up with the venerable and feature-stocked Microsoft Office, but Google Docs does have a lead when it comes to online collaboration and document sharing.