Image: June Wan/ZDNET.
Google’s ambition is to make Android ever more practical and easy to use, both on smartphones and tablets, connected watches and TV boxes.
With its next updates, the web giant is getting a little closer to the goal, in particular thanks to 11 new features, which we present to you below.
1. Emoji Kitchen Update
Once Gboard is updated, you will find new emojis and stickers to “do your cooking”. From the default Android keyboard, you can mix your favorite emojis and share them as stickers.
2. Voice Moods
Google Messages has a new feature, currently in beta, called “Voice Moods”. This feature adds a unique background and moving emoji theme to your voice messages. When your recipient listens to the voice message you sent them in Google Messages, they can also see the emojis you added to express how you’re feeling at that moment.
3. More reactions in Google Messages
Do you often just react to received messages with a thumbs-up? Google will help you be more original or more precise: it will soon be possible (it’s still in beta) to respond with an animated emoji.
Google.
4. New free channels on Google TV
Google TV will soon receive 10 new free channels offering sports, cinema and even game shows. These channels will be added to the hundred or so free channels already available.
5. More devices controllable from Wear OS
Wear OS will soon be able to control more compatible devices that you can turn on and/or dock. You’ll even be able to control compatible vacuum cleaners from your watch, for a truly futuristic experience. Likewise, you will be able to better create a lighting ambiance for dinner by controlling your lamps… from your wrist.
6. Signal your departure or arrival to your home automation devices
Thanks to an upcoming Wear OS update, your home automation devices will be able to automatically know that you have left your home, or that you are arriving, in order, for example, to turn the lights on or off.
7. Wear OS Assistant Routines
Wear OS also offers Routines, which allow you to accomplish various tasks with simple voice commands, even when you’re on the go. For example, you can say: “Ok Google, I’m going to work” and Wear OS will activate the routine that follows your departure.
Image: Google.
8. More secure connections
You can now associate a custom PIN with your FIDO2 security keys for websites or apps, allowing you to log in without having to enter a complicated password. Since you have associated a PIN code with the key, even if you lose this key, no one will be able to use it against you (unless they know your PIN code).
9. The Preview feature on your watch
The Preview feature, found on your home screen, shows you what you need, when you need it. Thanks to an upcoming Wear OS update, you will be able to display this same information on your watch face.
10. AI Image Descriptions
Android tool TalkBack will soon use AI to generate image descriptions to help visually impaired people. Whether it’s a photo taken by the phone’s camera, an image from an app, a web page or social media… TalkBack will be able to describe it .
11. Live Captioning
If you use the Live Captions feature, which allows live captioning, over the next few weeks it will not only offer more languages, but it will also be able to respond during phone calls (by SMS). An update which will allow, for example, calls to be taken without needing to listen or respond vocally.
These new features will be rolled out at different times, depending on your device, OS version and location. Take a look at your apps: you may even already have some of its new features.
Source: ZDNet.com