Google updates CardDAV API with high resolution contact photos, improved battery life, and POST support

Google today updated its CardDAV API, a protocol for sharing address books and contacts on a server. Developers who sync with Google Contacts will enjoy the additions.

Here are the four new features rolling out today:

• High resolution contact photos, which enables syncing of full-screen photos used by some mobile devices including iPhones (previously we supported 96×96 thumbnails).
• Sync-Collections, which improves battery life for mobile users by reducing the amount of data exchanged.
• POST support, which reduces mobile data usage when creating new contacts.
• For Google Apps users, searching the domain’s Global Address List.

This is the first major update to the CardDav API. Google launched it in June 2013 when it reversed a decision to kill off its CalDAV API.

See also – Google to keep its calendar CalDAV API public after developer backlash, debuts contacts CardDAV API to boot

Top Image Credit: Mari Carmen Guinovart