Google Adds New Features to Android
Like Microsoft, Google engages in some “continuous innovation” on Android, and it announced some new features for the mobile platform this week.
“A few weeks ago at Google I/O, we announced features that can make Android devices more helpful, secure and expressive,” Google director Judy Chang writes in the announcement post. “We’re introducing these throughout this year within regular updates, ensuring your devices keep improving in between our yearly OS releases.” (And between Google’s quarterly Pixel feature drops, for you Pixel users.)
Here is what Google announced for Android-based smartphones, tablets, and WearOS smartwatches. It’s unclear when or how some of these new features will be delivered.
Reading practice. This new experience for the Google Play Books & Audiobooks app “helps new readers improve vocabulary and comprehension skills using their Android phones and tablets with thousands of compatible children’s ebooks available – including options at no charge.” Compatible children’s ebooks are marked with a “Practice” badge.
New widgets. Google has released three new widgets—Google TV, Finance, and News—for Android-based phones and tablets.
Spotify for WearOS. It’s unclear why Google added this to the list, but the Spotify app for WearOS is now available so you can listen to and control music playback from your wrist.
More public transportation support in Google Wallet. Commuters in Washington, D.C. and the San Francisco Bay Area can now import SmarTrip and Clipper cards into Google Wallet to tap and ride via their smartwatch. (You can learn about other new Wallet features here.)
Google Keep for WearOS. Google’s note-taking app is now available on WearOS so you can quickly access a to-do or note from your wrist.
New themed emoji mixes in Emoji Kitchen. Google’s Gboard has an Emoji Kitchen feature that lets you remix your favorite emoji into stickers that you can send as messages. And now there are new aquatic-themed emoji combinations you can use.
Dark web report. This new feature for Google Accounts in the U.S. is available on the Google One website and app. It lets you see whether your Gmail address has been exposed on the dark web, and then get guidance about what you can do if it has. “Google One members in the U.S. are able to scan for additional personal information, such as their social security number,” the firm notes. Access to this feature will expand to more than 20 countries in the coming months.
You can find out more about these and other recently-added Android features on the Android website.
Source: Thurrott.com
