Google+ gets makeover for iPad

Google has rolled out an update for the iPad version of its Google+ client software.

The company said that the update would allow iOS users to see the improvements to the social network which Google first introduced on Android last month.

Like the Android version of the client, the iOS app has been written by Google specifically for Apple's hardware specifications. The company said that features such as full bleed photos with new image animations would be designed to take advantage of Apple's Retina display hardware.

The Google+ application, which will be made available for free on the iOS App Store, will also bring the introduction of new gesture controls, including the ability to add comments with pinch gestures and re-sharing posts by a two-finger drag.

The application will also support integration with the Apple TV set-top box, allowing users to display Hangout video streams on their television sets via an iPad.

"The Google+ app for iPad was designed with the device in mind," Google vice president of product Bradley Horowitz said in a company blog post.

"Your stream styles content based on popularity, type and orientation."

Google also plans to add support for the Google+ Events platform. Introduced alongside the tablet apps, the event service will aim to simplify the process of create event invitations and reminders for contacts and other users.

The release comes as Google is planning a renewed push to make the Google+ service a viable competitor in a social networking space dominated by Facebook. The company recently announced that it had surpassed 250 million users.