Today, Google started rolling out an update for the Google+ app for Android adding some “snow, search and love” to the app. In addition to this, there are also some general bug fixes and performance improvements on-board. 

To celebrate the holiday season and that snow storm in the parts of US, Google has introduced the ability to add snow to your photos. You can add falling snow to your images by simply opening them and then shaking the device.

An important, and less gimmicky, feature introduced in this update is a unified search option. Using the Search option in the Google+ app will allow users to search for posts, communities, people and photos and more from the same search bar.

Another useful feature introduced in this update is the ability to get notifications from the Google+ app only when certain people post a status update or+1 a post. Perfect to stalk your gf, and stay updated with what members of your family are doing.

Below is the full change-log for this update -:

Today we’re launching a new version of Google+ for Android (v4.2.4). In addition to bug fixes and performance improvements, you can now do the following:

1. Shake your device to add snow to your photos. Many of you enjoyed last week’s#AutoAwesome  snow (http://goo.gl/913KlK), so we’re adding another way to let it snow this holiday season. Just open one of your photos, shake your device, and snow will start falling. Shake again to save. (http://youtu.be/YWRa6Cz6m_M)

2. Search across more stuff, from a single box. Now you can search for posts, people, photos and communities — all from one place. So the next time you’re looking for something specific, just tap ‘Search’ and type what you want.

3. Control who can buzz your phone, without missing notifications from others. If you only want certain people to be able to buzz your phone (like family), simply adjust your “Who can notify me” settings. Notifications from others will now appear in “Everything else,” so you can read them whenever it’s convenient.

4. Explore content by category. Now when you visit the What’s Hot stream, you’ll be able to “go deeper” on a number of different categories — from Music and Science to Sports and Photography.

5. Spread the love this holiday season. Now when you +1 posts in the stream, you’ll see something lovely.

As always, the update is being rolled out in batches so it can take a few days to show up on your Android device.