Google announced today that it has made improvements to the Google Authenticator app, which utilizes Google’s 2-step verification feature for smartphones.

2-step verification was launched for Google Apps in 2010, then to all Google users in February 2011.

“We want 2-step verification to be simple to use, and therefore we are working continually to make it easier for users to sign up, manage their settings, and maintain easy access to their verification codes at any time and from anywhere,” says Sara Sinclair, the associate product manager on Google’s Security Team. “Our updated Google Authenticator app has an improved look-and-feel, as well as fundamental upgrades to the back-end security and infrastructure that necessitated the migration to a new app. Future improvements, however, will use the familiar Android update procedure.”

The app has overwhelmingly positive reviews in Android Market…err…Google Play (that’s still going to take some getting used to).

Google says thousands of people are signing up each day for 2-step verification.