Google’s latest feature drop brings a variety of new abilities for Android phones, tablets, smartwatches, and compatible vehicles. The features focus on increasing productivity by leveraging more from the company’s AI bandwagon. Android users should expect to see these features by next month as they arrive on different types of devices across the globe. Here’s everything one should know about the new features.
Summarize Texts And Choose From Contextual Replies Using Android Auto
Harnessing the power of Google’s AI, Android Auto can now automatically summarize long texts from personal or group chats and display the summary on the screen while users drive. It also suggests relevant replies and actions, such as sharing the ETA, sending a message, or initiating a phone call.
These features could help users focus on the road, mainly because it eliminates the need to read the entire message immediately. Smart actions are a great touch as they automate several actions, which could otherwise take pressing more buttons and distract the driver for a longer time.
AI-Generated Captions And Improved Lens In Maps
A feature developed for the blind and low-vision communities, AI-generated captions help users listen to the descriptions of photos, online images, and pictures in messages. For the time being, the feature is only available in English.
Google Lens users can now point their camera at their surroundings and get a detailed description of the place, such as the working hours, rating, directions, or how to get there. Further, improved screen reader support for Lens in Maps helps users explore nearby places, such as ATMs, restaurants, and railway stations.
With the updated Google Docs, users can leave handwritten annotations to Docs from their Android smartphone or tablet. They can use their fingers or a stylus for the same. The markup tools include a selection of pen colors and highlighters. This could particularly help students who share their assignments or learn in collaboration via Google Docs.
Better Organization Of Health And Wallet Information
“Users can now see a complete picture of their health right in the redesigned Fitbit app through Health Connect,” mentions the Google blog post. Data from connected wearables and apps like AllTrails, Oura Ring, And MyFitnessPal should be visible in the You tab in the Fitbit app, making tracking different metrics easier. In the Today tab, users can see data like exercises, steps, calories burned, etc.
Google Wallet passes is now available on Wear OS watches, allowing users to save and access boarding passes, event tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards, and other details right from their wrist. Users can also choose which passes they wish to hide and which they want to show.
Another feature that’s coming to Wear OS is public transit directions on Google Maps. Going forward, Android smartwatch users should be able to access several details, such as departure times, compass-guided navigation, and other hands-free navigation right from their watch.
Other New Features Coming With Android’s February Drop
From this week, users can access Gemini in Google Messages on their Android smartphones. Users can ask the AI chatbot to draft messages, finetune the tone, and look for grammatical errors in their messages. With Spotify, users can now access the list of connected devices (or the output switcher) from the lock screen.
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